


^7 .<cr ^mc 


















"^ditM:^ ^a^ 






^^ 



R C 

.Ct4 










"■^^^ 






^^l-iK^ 






. ^^<.3a 



-^ 






dccc 



#-LIBRARYj)F CONliilKhS. t 



J UNITED STATE8 OF AMERICA. # 



%>'%>^>^%,<%^^ 



A SYNOPSIS 



OF THE TREATMENT OF 



FEVER AND FEBEILE DISEASES, 



Indigestion, Neuralgia and Tubercular Diseases: 



WITH 



REMARKS ON THE EFFCTS OF BLOOD-LETTING, EMETICS, PURGATIYES, 
MERCURY, DIET, ETC., IN DISEASES. 



BY 



EDMUND CONE 




COLUMBUS: 
PRINTED BY FOLLETT, FOSTER AND COMPANY. 

1858. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S58, 

BY EDMUND CONE, 

In the aerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
District of Ohio. 



ERRATA. 



The author was unable to read and correct the proof sheets of tlits 
work — hence these errata. The reader will also excuse some errors 
in punctuation. 

Page 5, line 4, for ^' naturally '' read '^ materially.'^ 



5, '* 22, " " brains " '' 

e, '' 1, '' " to relieve " " 

11, '' 7, '' ^'bad" " 

11, " 13, '' , '-damp" " 

11, '' 21, " ''coparba'^ 

16, " 5, '' "mostly" " 

16, " 11, " " promise '^ " 

17, " 24, " ''constrictive"" 
21, •• 19, " " organs " " 
24, " 6, " " chyle " " 
27, " 21, " " desire " 

29, " 10, " " broiled " " 

29, " 28, " "squills" 

36, " 4, " "lacerative" " 

38r '' 3, " " translated " " 

40, " 2 " "maluse" " 

45, " 18, " " infilbration " " 

50, " 23, " "tobs" " 

52, " 13, " "picks" " 

56, " 9, " "hiss" " 

58, " 2, " " affect " " 



"brain." 
" so relieve." 
"lead." 
"clammy." 
" copaiba." 
" most," 
" premise." 

" constrictive malaise." 
" organ." 
" chyme." 
" derive." 
" boiled." 
" squill." 
" lancinating." 
" translate." 
" malaise." 
" infiltration." 
" tabes." 
" pricks." 
" hive." 
" effect." 



INTRODUCTION. 



The readers of the following pages will not expect to find in so 
small a compass, all that might be said on any one subject treated on ; 
for the object of the writer has been to say as little as possible in elu- 
cidation, but to present facts to the consideration of his readers. Yet 
nude facts in science seldom gain the assent of the judgment, espe- 
cially in abstract or abstruse science ; hence the author has been in- 
duced to enter somewhat into disquisition in some parts of the work, 
but in discussing any subject he has aimed at mere illustration or 
proof, without going into elaborate argument, the end and object of 
the work being, to present truths in the art of healing, divested of 
all technical jargon or pedantic flourish, but in plain diction, so that 
all readers of ordinary intelligence can readily understand, and in 
some sense comprehend, the dififerent subjects on which he treats. 

To the diseased, who may consult this work, the author desires to 
say, if you use the remedies, use them exactly as they are prescribed, 
and confidence will be inspired ; but guard against the too common 
error of expecting immediate cure from a single dose or even a few 
doses of medicine ; especially in chronic diseases, where there is great 
prostration and general derangement of the glandular and nutritive 
systems, which will necessarily require time and a continued use of 
remedies to overcome and restore to healthy action. 

THE AUTHOR. 



SYNOPSIS 



TEEATMENT OF CERTAIN DISEASES. 



Fever and Febrile Diseases in General. 

It was long an opinion of the author of this treatment of 
fever, that fever, in all its forms, has its origin in some poison- 
ous influence upon the system, that results in developing its 
phenomena, which consists, very naturally, in a derangement of 
the circulation of the blood, from some morbid quality imparted 
to the blood ; and the indications for a cure to consist in equal- 
izing the circulation of the blood, by which congested or in- 
flamed parts or organs should be relieved of undue accumula- 
tions of blood in, or determination of blood to, such parts of the 
system; that the secretions should be restored as speedily as 
possible, for the double purpose of throwing or eliminating from 
the system or blood any poisonous matter received, either 
through the lungs or skin, from the atmosphere, or any irritat- 
ing, excrementitious matter, such as the perspirable and pul- 
monary transpirable secretions ; or the fluids thrown constantly 
from the skin and lungs, in health ; or those peculiar substances 
separated or secreted from the blood by the salivary glands, the 
pancreas, stomach, liver, kidneys, etc.; the secretions of which 
organs are either entirely arrested, or very much deranged ; and 
that which is separated from the blood, in health, by these or- 
gans, in all cases of fever, is more or less retained in the blood, 
and operates as irritants to the heart, and arteries, brains, and 
nervous system at large. 



6 

Or, in the second place, to relieve the organs thus oppressed 
by these adverse influences, as to enable each to resume its 
healthy action, and repair the mischief the system has sustained, 
and carry on its healthy action. Now, relieve the brain, nerv- 
ous system, heart, and arteries, and this result will follow. But 
where shall we begin ? Most assuredly, common sense would 
say, with the circulating system. Relax the surface, and main- 
tain an equalized circulation, and the secretions of the skin are 
restored, and the blood is relieved of irritating, retained, pers- 
pirable matter, and the balance of the organs of the system are 
relieved of undue or deficient supply of blood. Stimulate the 
brain, nervous and glandular organs, and each will resume its 
respective healthy action ; the brain sends a healthy nervous 
influence to every part of the system ; the heart and lungs are 
not now irritated, or oppressed, but perform all their complicated 
offices efficiently ; the blood, flowing pure from the lungs to the 
heart, is thrown to every part of the system ; the salivary glands, 
stomach, liver and kidneys, resume their wonted healthy secre- 
tions ; food is demanded, — received, — digested, and its chyle 
absorbed ; the system is nourished, and health and vigor ensue. 

The carbonate of ammonia, prescribed in the following treat- 
ment, will neutralize acidity in the stomach ; but its chief in- 
fluence is to determine to, and relax the surface; but when 
combined with capsicum, it becomes a hundred fold more effi- 
cient. The alum constringes, soothes, and aids in relieving the 
irritated and engorged mucous membrane of the stomach, and 
finally operates as a gentle laxative. The columbo and gentian 
root are gently astringent and stimulating, but chiefly tonic, and 
the prussiate of iron is tonic, and in their combination are (as 
experience will and has proved) the most efficient and safe feb- 
rifuge in all forms and grades of fever yet known. 



Note. — In this abstract of medical treatment of disease, we 
only give a very condensed synopsis of the philosophy of our 
treatment, without pretending to enter into an elaborate elucida- 
tion of any subject on which we treat, or for which we prescribe. 

We now proceed to give our treatment for fever in general, or 
our treatment for all forms of fever, and to which reference will 
frequently be made as our general treatment. We therefore wish 
to state that, after twenty-five years experience in the treatment 
of disease, we have not been able to obtain a knowledge of any 
course of treatment that will begin to compare with that given 
below for the certain, speedy and effectual cure of all forms of 
fever ; and when it is remembered that fever is a very material 
feature, and gives its impress on almost all forms of disease, the 
importance of this subject will be more readily apprehended. 
To be sure, we subjoin several modifications in our treatment, in^ 
several forms of fever, yet this general treatment will be found, 
even in the cases where we modify the treatment, to be success- 
ful ; and all that is requisite is, to have sufficient confidence in 
the course of treatment recommended : to use it from three to 
five, and in extreme cases, seven days, as directed, and that con- 
fidence will be inspired in all who use it, whether physician 
(if unprejudiced) or patient, or the heads of families ; remem- 
ber all processes in nature require time for their accomplishment. 
We now give the formula for the preparation and use of our 
febrifuge and alterative tonic : 

Take carbonate of ammonia, two drams; pulverized alum, 
one dram; pulverized capsicum, pulverized gentian root, pul- 
verized columbo root, pulverized prussiate of iron, of each, thirty 
grains. 

Mix all together and put into a bottle, or any vessel that will 



8 

exclude the air, and add four ounces, or thirty teaspoonfuls of 
cold water. Dose — A teaspoonful to a grown person every 
two hours, in common cases of fever. It may be sweetened 
with white sugar to the taste, if the patient prefers. Shake the 
bottle well before giving it, and keep it stopped so as to exclude 
the air. After the patient has been twenty-four hours without 
fever, or if the patient be pale, blanched, with a cool surface 
and feeble pulse, at the commencement of fever — 

Take Virginia snake root (serpentaria) , valerian root, of 
each two drams ; boiling water one pint. 

Pour the boiling water on the roots, steep half an hour, and 
give a teaspoonful of the febrifuge and a tablespoonful of the 
tea together, every two hours if the patient, in the first stage 
of fever, be as above described, (pale, cool surface, with feeble 
pulse) ; and after he has been twenty-four hours without fever, 
give it every three or four hours, until the patient has good 
appetite and digestion, when it should be given three times a 
day, just before meals, until the patient has gained considerable 
strength, when it may be entirely discontinued ; or the patient 
may simply use the infusion to aid digestion. A strong tea 
of wild cherry bark will answer very well in place of the 
snake root tea, after the fever is subdued ; and if the patient 
has been subjected to mercurial treatment, it had better be used 
until the patient is entirely recovered. 

Children will use the medicine in all respects as directed for 
grown persons, giving to a child one year old, a fourth of a 
teaspoonful, or fifteen drops ; if under a year old a little less, 
(we have frequently arrested Cholera Infantum, with the febri- 
fuge, in children under six months old, and in some instances 
under a month old,) and increase the dose in proportion to the 



9 

age above a year old, giving half a teaspoonful to a child from 
three to six, and three-fourths of a teaspoonful from six to ten 
years old, and so on ; and be sure to offer children some food 
several times a day, the best of which is broiled smoked ham, 
good stale wheat bread boiled in good rich milk, mush and 
milk, boiled rice, etc. ; but animal diet agrees best, and especially 
in cases of Summer Complaint, or Cholera Infantum, the diet 
had better be almost exclusively animal. It will be difficult to 
use the infusion of snake root with children that are too young 
to obey the mandate of the parents, and the febrifuge may be 
made sweet, with white or loaf sugar, for young children, so as 
to cover its taste as much as possible, but older children will be 
benefited very much by the use of the infusion of snake root 
and valerian, and should take it as prescribed for adults, of 
course adapting the dose to the age of the patient. 

Note. — The above treatment, if persevered in for a short 
time, is effectual in arresting Diarrhoea, Summer Complaint, 
Cholera Infantum, and all forms of fever, in children. Give it 
every two hours, or if the patient be very feeble and corpse-like 
give it every hour until there is reaction, and then give it every 
two hours, as prescribed for fever in general, and you will be 
satisfied with the result after a short time. 

A patient using this treatment, if bilious, may vomit bile a 
few times, or if there is congestion of the stomach, he will prob- 
ably vomit occasionally for a few hours, but it will soon subside. 
This treatment will not purge, except a patient be very bilious, 
in which case there will probably be two or three bilious dis- 
charges ; but it gives so much tone to the action of the stomach 
and bowels as to secure regular operations ; but if the bowels 
are costive at the attack of fever, no purgative whatever should 



10 

be given, and it may be two or three days before the bowels are 
moved, but no purgative whatever should be given ; and if the 
bowels should not be moved in two or three days, give an in- 
jection of warm water, or warm water with a little table salt'in 
it. (See remarks on bleeding, purgatives, evacuants, mercury, 
starving, etc., in the latter part of this work.) 

Give the patient all the plain, wholesome diet, of any kind, 
he will take, especially broiled ham, mush and rich milk, boiled 
rice, milk or dry toast, hot mealy potatoes, boiled or roasted, 
with good fresh butter, etc., etc. ; and good, pure, cold water, 
or tea and coffee, seasoned to the taste, as drinks, and keep the 
person and bed clean, and room quiet and undisturbed by con- 
versation, or any other noise, and see that it is well ventilated. 

Patients, in the first few days of fever, frequently have ex- 
treme pains in their head during the paroxysms of fever, or 
when the fever is at its highest, as also great pain in their back 
or loins, and frequently there is delirium at nights, with intol- 
erance of light and noise ; in such cases, in addition to keeping 
the room cool, dark and quiet, and giving the febrifuge regu- 
larly, as above directed, 

Take sulphuric sether, aqua ammonia, one ounce each ; mu- 
riate ammonia, one dram. 

Mix, and shake the bottle, then wet the scalp and temples 
with it, every two or three hours, or oftener, until the pain 
abates ; the same application may be made to the back or loins, 
or to any other part affected with severe pain ; and after the ap- 
plication of the liniment, fold a muslin cloth four or five thick- 
nesses, dip it in cold water, and apply it to the head, or any 
part affected with severe pain ; or to the pit of the stomach, if 



11 

there be much vomiting ; and it may be renewed every three or 
four hours. 

If the skin be hot and dry, dip a towel in cold water, and 
rub the patient oflF briskly and thoroughly, and be careful to 
wipe perfectly dry, with a clean, hot and dry towel ; this may 
be repeated every three or four hours, if the skin be very hot 
and dry, but if the surface be pale, cool, moist, livid, or bad 
colored, omit the general sponging; but the face, neck and 
hands may be washed occasionally, but be sure to wipe perfectly 
dry, with a clean, hot and dry towel. 

If the patient be pale and blanched, with a cool or cold sur- 
face, or have a white circle around his mouth and nose, or be 
covered with a cold, damp perspiration, give a teaspoonful of 
the febrifuge every hour, until the above symptoms disappear; 
then give as above directed, and give the patient hot coffee, or 
tea, or sage balm, or mint tea, as hot as he can sup them, and 
as freely as possible, and make hot applications to his person, 
and put a bottle of hot water to the soles of his feet. 

If the patient be typhoid, that is, if his tongue be brown or 
black, and dry in the centre, with glossy red edges ; if he have 
diarrhoea, with thin, watery, or muddy stools, and a tumid or 
swollen belly, he will probably have a rapid, or frequent, and 
small^pulse, and be delirious and rest but little at night; under 
these circumstances (we do not pretend to give all the symp- 
toms of any form of fever, but those only that are most apparent 
to the senses,) give a teaspoonful of the febrifuge, in a table- 
spoonful of the snake root and valerian tea, every two hours, 
and the following : 

Take gum camphor, thirty grains; balsam coparba, sweet 
spirits of nitre, compound spirits of lavender, of each half an 
ounce. 



12 

Shake the vial, and give forty drops every four hours, in with 
the other medicine, until the tongue becomes moist, and the 
Diarrhoea is pretty well subdued, when you will discontinue this 
preparation, and continue the febrifuge and snake root tea, as 
directed for fever in general. 

Note. — We do not believe that one case of fever in a thou- 
sand will develop Typhoid symptoms, unless such cases have 
been injured in the treatment of the first stage, by a reducing 
course of medicine, as bleeding, vomiting, especially with emetic 
tartar, purging, especially with calomel, and compound extract 
of colocynth, or oil, salts, or infusion of senna, and the common 
cooling powder, which is composed of salt petre, or nitre, and 
tartar emetic, or ipecac, all of which irritate the mucous mem- 
brane of the stomach and bowels, and consequently, produce 
determination of blood to these parts, that results in irritation, 
engorgement, congestion, inflammation, and consequently Ty- 
phoid Fever. 

If the patient have what is called Lung Fever, that is, besides 
the general symptoms of fever, if he have a cough, and raises 
mucus, or phlegm, that is either ropy, like the white of an egg, 
or is ropy and filled with air bubbles, or is streaked with blood, 
and raised with great difficulty, or spits up almost clear blood, 
or raises creamy, yellowish, white matter (the latter is general- 
ly raised with comparative ease), add one drachm of white snake 
root to the formula for preparing snake root and valerian tea, 
and give as directed under the head of Typhoid Fever, unless 
the breathing is very much oppressed, and it is very difficult for 
the patient to raise anything ; in which case give a teaspoonful 
of the febrifuge in a tablespoonful of the tea every two hours, 
and forty drops of the compound of balsam, prescribed in the 
treatment of Typhoid Fever, in with each dose until the patient 



13 

can raise freely, when the preparation of balsam had better be 
given every other time of giving the other medicine, or every 
four hours, and as soon as the tongue becomes pretty clean and 
moist, the balsam had better be discontinued. For the pain 
and stitching in the chest, in this form of fever, apply equal 
parts of sulphuric aether and aqua ammonia, each two ounces, 
and one drachm of muriate of ammonia, to the painful part, 
then dip a muslin cloth, folded three or four thicknesses, into 
cold water and apply it as soon as possible after the liniment, 
and cover the whole with several thicknesses of muslin so as to 
promote perspiration in the parts, and keep the patient dry, or 
a mustard plaster, or any active, stimulating liniment may be 
used before the muslin dipped in cold water is applied. If the 
above topical applications do not subdue the pain (which they 
generally do) a blister had better be applied, and after the fever, 
cough, and other urgent symptoms are subdued, and appetite 
and digestion are beginning to return, use the medicine less 
frequently, and pursue the course recommended in the treat' 
ment of fever in general. 

If fever is attended with the Dysentery, or Bloody Flux, it 
should be treated in the same manner precisely as Typhoid 
Fever, as it is nothing but Typhoid Fever with inflammation of 
the large, and sometimes small bowels. The treatment given for 
Typhoid Fever above, will cure all forms of dysentery as it does 
fever, but the bloody and slimy discharges will continue for two 
or three days after the fever is subdued, and the appetite and 
digestion are restored, and at times, especially if the patient dis- 
charge bile, which will be green, there will be a good deal of 
pain at stool, which, however, will soon subside. 

Where there is no fever, and there is appetite and tolerable 
digestion, as is frequently the case in mild attacks of the Dys- 



14 

entery, no treatment is necessary, as it is merely a local irrita- 
tion of the bowels, and any interference would be just as likely 
to do harm as good. 

If you have Scarlet Fever, treat it in all respects as fever in 
general, and if the patient's throat should show any indications 
of swelling, apply the liniment recommended for stitch in the 
side in the treatment of Lung Fever, and make the application 
of cold water in the same manner as there directed; but it had 
better be repeated every three or four hours until the swelling 
is entirely subdued, when the wet cloth should be substituted 
by a warm, dry flannel one ; but if the patient's throat should 
ulcerate, give a few drops of the febrifuge every half hour, or 
hour, until the dark sloughs separate and the throat looks red 
and clean, when you need only give the medicine at regular in- 
tervals, as recommended for fever in general. If this treatment 
be pursued at the onset, the throat will seldom if ever ulcerate. 

If a patient have Congestive, or Sinking Chill, give the feb' 
rifuge as directed for fever in general ; but if the patient be 
insensible and cold, or drenched in a cold perspiration, give the 
febrifuge in a tablespoonful of the snake root and valerian tea 
every hour until the patient becomes warm, and then give it 
every two hours to within twelve hours of the time he anticipates 
another chill, when you will give the following : 

Take sulphate of quinine, twenty grains; pulverized capsi- 
cum, thirty grains ; pulverized carbonate of ammonia, ninety 
grains. 

Mix, and put in a bottle, or any vessel that can be covered, 
and add fifteen teaspoonfuls of cold water, and give a teaspoon- 
ful, together with a teaspoonful of the febrifuge, every hour, 
either alone, or what is better, in a tablespoonful of the snake 



15 

root and valerian tea, for fifteen hours. The patient should He 
in bed and drink freely of hot coffee, or any hot tea, and after 
the time has elapsed for the chill, give the same as for fever in 
general, until the patient is entirely recovered. The above 
treatment will arrest any form of Ague, and the after treatment 
will, with any degree of care, prevent its return. Or the Ague 
may be arrested most speedily, by taking one grain of quinine 
in a teaspoonful of the febrifuge every hour for six hours, pre- 
ceeding a paroxysm, and then pursue the above tonic course, or 
ten drops of Fowler's arsenical solution, taken in a teaspoonful 
of the febrifuge every two hours, until the patient misses one 
paroxysm, and then use as above directed for recovery from fever 
in general. There is great prejudice in the minds of most 
people against taking arsenic, but it should be remembered that 
all who use any of the popular nostrums for the cure of Ague, 
use arsenic in this form combined with some vegetable bitters, 
which, in fact, is not arsenic any more than table salt is muriatic 
acid, and muriatic acid is as poisonous as arsenious acid (or 
arsenic), yet table salt is the muriate of soda, and Fowler's ar- 
senical solution is the arseniate of potash, both acids being 
robbed of their caustic and poisonous qualities, by being com- 
bined with an alkali, and both will produce nausea and vomiting 
and other violent symptoms, when taken in too large doses, or 
injudiciously. 



Indigestion — its Nature, Cause and Cuee. 

We now come to notice another class of diseased action, 
which, though not so active as fever, yet it is frequently more 
distressing, and results equally disastrously, when maltreated 



16 

or uncontrolled — we refer to diseases of the digestive tube. All 
the organs of assimilation are liable to congestion and inflamma- 
tion, which will promptly subside by subduing the fever, or 
arterial excitement which produces the inflammation ; or in case 
of congestion, which is mostly always mistaken for inflammation, 
by exciting the action and equalizing the circulation of the 
blood, both of which will be accomplished by pursuing the 
course of treatment prescribed in the former pages for fever in 
general. But we propose to note the treatment most successful 
in subduino; the chronic form of disease of the dio:estive orD:ans, 
and we will promise that we shall not attempt to give all the 
symptoms of indigestion or dyspepsia, as they are, unfortunate- 
ly, too familiar to most readers, and as there are but few per- 
sons who have not experienced more or less of dyspepsia, and 
its thousand vague but afflicting consequences; and yet there 
are no symptoms in common, and no two cases that are alike ; 
for the wandering and irregular pains, and various sympathies, 
that are the result of indigestion, are as various as the individ- 
ual personal appearance of the diflferent individuals of the hu- 
man family. Now you partake of a meal: if digestion be 
healthy, you immediately feel a genial glow of support ; a sense 
of supply and buoyant fullness, in place of hunger or a sense of 
want, or vacuity and exhaustion, gives place to vigor, and the 
whole system glows with renewed animation and strength ; the 
pulse is fuller, rounder, stronger, and perhaps a little more fre- 
quent; the brain, and nervous system, less excitable, more 
calm, and frequently inclined to calm repose ; the skin is warm- 
ed by the invigorated blood to firm elasticity, and every fibre of 
the whole system feels an infusion of vigor and health; and the 
intellect, in sympathy with the animal man, rejoices in the re- 
newing influences of nourished blood, and every attribute of 



17 

mind swells and exults to the full extent of their respective 
capacities ; in one word, the whole mental, moral and physical 
man is renewed, nourished, strengthened, comforted and blessed. 
But how is it with the dyspeptic ? He eats in dread, and 
feels, while partaking of a meal, as the felon does in the com- 
mission of crime — that a penalty will soon overtake him ; and 
here, perhaps, is the first step in the digestion of each meal, 
taken by those who have indigestion. God designed that we 
should relish and enjoy our meals, and meals that are not rel- 
ished, are doubly hard to digest. But the dyspeptic anticipates 
the distress that will follow, hence his food does not relish, his 
secretions are checked, and his enjoyment is marred, or he 
rushes recklessly on and indulges indiscriminately, contenting 
himself that he will enjoy the little that he can, in eating and 
drinking, for it is all suffering afterwards. The consequences 
of this latter course are obvious to all. Or again, he picks his 
way cautiosuly in the selection of food — like the blind man on 
the brink of a precipice. He must eat, yet eating to him has no 
comfort, for if he relish at all, it is only in the gratification of 
perverted appetite, that will mock and scourge him for yielding 
to the lure of its syren voice; but the meal once finished, is 
there a glow of comfort and a sense of supply and support ? 
Nay, the contrary, a vague feeling of oppression and injury, and 
sense of constriction will arise, but too soon and certainly to be 
followed with the eructation of gas, with a burning, sinking, 
embarrassed sense of constriction at the pit of the stomach. The 
brain sympathises and is tortured with every variety of pain ; 
the nerves of the whole system, especially of the chest, back, 
neck and head are in a twinging, stitching, irritated condition, 
and it is seldom that a breath is drawn without pain or soreness 

somewhere ; the skin is cool, inelastic, relaxed and flabby ; the 

2 



18 

pulse may have an irritable twitch, yet no round, open, full 
beat of health ; the intellect is oppressed, and every attribute of 
the mind is more or less cramped, confused and embarrassed. 
All moral sympathies are chilled, and the whole mental, moral 
and physical man is encumbered, oppressed and injured, and 
no one part of the system has a sense of settled comfort, nourish- 
ment, enjoyment or satisfaction. What then is dyspepsia? It 
is an inability of the stomach to digest food, or convert it into 
chyme, and every case has its own peculiar features. 

But how shall dyspepsia be cured? Well, then, in the first 
place, if you have any decayed, aching teeth, have them all ex- 
tracted without delay, and have their place supplied with sound 
ones, or better have none than those that irritate the salivary 
glands, and are sources of putridity to the salivary secretions, 
and stomach. 

Never stimulate the salivary glands with anything acrid, as 
cloves, tobacco — either in smoking or chewing — or ardent spir- 
its, for remember that the first requisite, in order to healthy 
digestion, is to have an abundant salivary secretion, which is 
seldom or never the case where the salivary glands are habitu- 
ally stimulated with anything more exciting than the food. 

Dilute the saliva and the fluids of the stomach, as little as 
possible, hence drink nothing that will be likely to be substitut- 
ed for food at meals, as tea and coffee, but eat as much like an 
Indian as possible, that is, take but little fluid of any kind, and 
let that be cold water. The saliva is a solvent, and so is the 
gastric fluid, and like all other solvents, if too much diluted it 
loses its solvent properties. 

Eat anything that you know to agree with you, or eat that 
that agrees with you best, and eat slowly and all that you want. 



19 

but not to repletion. There can be no absolute rule given on 
this subject, but be ^are to eat enough, of plain, nourishing diet. 

Do not watch the stomach, as it is like a faithful servant, that 
always does best when you repose most confidence in it ; all the 
• time inspecting the performance of the stomach, will derange its 
functions, by either directing too much nervous influence to it, 
and producing temporary over-action, or concentrating nervous 
influence in the brain, and leaving the stomach destitute of its 
proper nervous influence. 

Never eat a meal under the influence of passion or excite- 
ment, especially depressing passions, as grief, fear, deep sor- 
row or remorse, or the excitement of anger, malice or revenge; 
and better not be too highly stimulated with transports of joy, 
ecstacy or triumph, when partaking of a meal. 

Use no tea or cofiTee with meals, as they are both nervous 
stimulants, and will first excite the stomach too much, and then 
by exciting the brain, leave the stomach without its proper sup- 
ply of nervous stimulus, and it will fall into inaction or entire 
torpor, and as digestion is the result of the muscular action of 
the stomach, as well as of the solvent properties of the fluids of 
the stomach, both of which depend on a proper supply of ner- 
vous influence, anything that interrupts such innervation, must 
of necessity produce interrupted action of the stomach. Then 
again, persons who use tea and coffee, generally take too much 
fluid, and dilute the fluids of the stomach, so that it loses its 
solvent properties. 

Persons with feeble digestion should never make any great 
mental or physical eflfort for some time after eating a meal, and 
then it should always be commenced as slowly as possible ; for 
instance, the laborer should not make great muscular exertions 
for some time, at least half an hour, after he has taken a meal ; 



20 

so of students, clerks, accountants, attorneys, ministers, physi- 
cians, and all persons whose business or professions require great 
mental efforts ; such efforts should never be made immediately 
after taking a meal, and the nearer the process of digestion is 
completed, the better, before the commencement of strenuous, 
muscular, intellectual or even moral effort ; and it should be a 
rule in all families and with all persons to indulge in innocent 
relaxation after meals, especially after the principal meal, which 
with us Americans, is generally the dinner, a little sleep after 
which is doubtless conducive to digestion. 

All persons who would have healthy digestion, would do well 
to cultivate all the graces of the Christian religion, in a liberal 
acceptation of the term : love to God, love to man, do good, 
avoid evil, diligent in business, fervent in spirit, avoiding cov- 
etousness, which will pierce with its painful sorrows and blight- 
ing disappointments, at the same time being so diligent in some 
useful avocation, as to give full exercise to the whole man ; and 
let benevolence feel that some human being is daily benefited 
by our life and efforts ; and the calm sleep, quiet conscience, 
and abiding consciousness of God's blessing, will aid essentially 
in not only the digestion, but in health in general. 

Persons subject to feeble digestion, should be careful to keep 
their surfaces clean ; but we doubt the propriety of daily cold 
ablutions, as too frequent washing removes from the skin the 
oily secretions of the sebaceous glands, which secretions protect 
the surface, lubricate and give it the elasticity of health, yet at 
intervals the surface should be washed with pure cold, or if quite 
feeble, warm soft water (without soap or any alkali for the reason 
just stated), and wiped perfectly dry with a clean, warm, dry 
towel. A very good method of performing this ablution is, to 



21 

dip a towel in cold water and rub the surface off thoroughly, 
and then wipe as above directed. 

The clothing of persons who have indigestion, should be suf- 
ficient to protect, but not so ample as to exclude the air from the 
surface. There can scarcely be a greater error, or one more 
deleterious to health, than that of piling on clothing so thick as 
to exclude the air entirely from the surface of the body. It is 
certain that the blood is influenced by the air that comes in con- 
tact with the surface of the body, and it is well known that such 
contact is invigorative to the blood, muscular and nervous 
systems, while the opposite is relaxing, effeminating and en- 
feebling. 

There is one form of indigestion that we beg leave to detail 
the symptoms of, as we have not seen a sufficient description of 
it to enable a person to detect it. We allude to relaxation of 
the stomach, — it may occur, — and we have seen it in persons of 
all ages, but it occurs most frequently in elderly persons ; its 
characteristics are great distension of the stomach — so much so 
that the organs can be felt occupying the whole upper portion 
of the abdomen, pressing the liver on the right and the spleen 
on the left side, upwards against the diaphragm, and extending 
downwards sometimes to a considerable distance below the navel, 
presenting to the touch when it is distended, as it is most of the 
time to a considerable extent, a large, firm, irregular globe, that 
will bear pretty firm pressure without much pain. We have 
not known any of these cases to be attended with much nausea, 
or vomiting ; the appetite is generally capricious, and the oppres- 
sion and distress in the reofion of the stomach does not exceed 
that of many common cases of Dyspepsia; the bowels are gen- 
erally torpid, but not always; the kidneys generally secrete a 
small quantity of imperfect urine ; but the great source of dif- 



22 

ficultj is in the chest, heart and brain — the distension is so 
great as to push the diaphragm up, and press so firmly on the 
lungs and heart as to produce the greatest possible difificulty in 
breathing — the patient is wholly unable to make a deep inspira- 
tion; is harrassed with a shorty half suppressed, stitching cough; 
he is unable to lie down at all in many instances, and in others, 
he can remain in the recumbent position only for a short time, 
and there is generally an entire inability to lie on one side. These 
cases are generally supposed to be Dropsy of the Chest, Dropsy 
of the Sack of the Heart, Enlargement of the Heart, or Ossifica- 
tion of the Valves of the Heart, Abscess, Asthma^ etc. The pulse 
is generally verj| irregular, but almost always intermitting, some- 
times running several beats pretty regularly, then an entire 
interval for the space of one or two pulsations ; the jugulars 
will become turgid, the countenance flushed and livid, when the 
heart will contract spasmodically, and there will be one or two 
full strong pulsations, then there will be a number of small 
feeble pulsations again. We have never observed the small 
feeble pulsations to be less than seven, or more than eighteen, 
but when they are twelve, or as in one instance, eighteen, the 
circulation is very much embarrassed, and the breathing is so 
difficult that the patient has a constant sense of suffocation, and 
even in the winter season has the windows and doors open, and 
requires to be fanned most assiduously to keep life in him. In 
some instances the brain is not much disturbed, and in others 
we have seen, from the impeded condition of the venous circu- 
lation, many of the symptoms of Apoplexy, and in one instance, 
the attending physicians most strenuously opposed our stimulat- 
ing and tonic treatment, on the ground that the patient was 
threatened with Apoplexy. This patient, though seventy-two 
years old, recovered perfectly. But in other instances, we have 



23 

seen the most settled melancholy, and have known strong mind- 
ed men to say that their life was a burthen, that they could not 
bear, and that they coveted death so ardently that they feared 
they would commit suicide ; and we have treated cases where 
attempts had been made at self-destruction, and have fre- 
quently witnessed all the vagaries of the hypochondriac in these 
cases. There is, generally, more or less dropsical effusion in 
these cases — generally the lower extremities are more or less 
dropsical; but we have seen cases of universal dropsy in this 
form of disease, so much so that the lower extremities have 
burst open from the knee to the instep, and water constantly 
ooze from the fissures. This condition, of which we have only 
given an imperfect sketch, is one of most intense suffering. 
Though there is not a great deal of acute pain, it is one of in- 
tense anxiety, with the greatest oppression of all the vital pow- 
ers, with a constant sense of impending danger, with suffering 
depicted in every feature. 

Indigestion is generally supposed to depend on a variety of 
causes, as inflammation of the mucous or lining membrane (either 
acute, sub-acute, or chronic) of the stomach, organic or func- 
tional disease, as inflammation, scherrous or torpor of the liver, 
torpor, irritation, congestion, or inflammation of the small or 
large bowels, and so on. But the real cause of indigestion is 
indicated by the remedies that operate most efficiently in its 
cure, and these are gently stimulating tonics combined with 
those articles that will stimulate healthy secretions, the real 
state of all the organs either directly or indirectly concerned in 
the process of digestion being that of weakness, debility, or 
feebleness. Hence the torpor and general inability to perform 
their respective offices. And the cause of indigestion in a 
majority of cases (where there is not cancer or other structural 



24 

disease of the stomach) is, in the first place, over-taxing the 
digestive ability of the stomach (which, of course, is relative, 
for what would be a heavy task for one stomach, would be light 
work for another) either by indigestible food or imposing on it 
a watery, vapid and innutricious diet, which, though the stomach 
may reduce to chyle and thus do its part, yet when the process 
is completed, there is no healthy chyle, and the system is not 
nourished. Such crude diet gives the stomach double or treble 
labor to manage it, yet it gives but little or nothing on the score 
of nourishment back to the stomach in return. Hence the 
stomach, and consequently the whole system, lose their tone 
and vigor; and when thus debilitated, they must be subjected 
to some stimulus or invigorating influence, or their health will 
not be restored. To be sure, some will say correct all the vices 
and adverse influences to which the stomach has been subjected, 
and give it nothing but healthy influences, and it will recover 
its wonted vigor and health. This will do if there be but tem- 
porary derangement, and a very considerable degree of vigor 
remain ; but if the stomach be very much enfeebled, it will not 
regain its tone without the aid of judicious remedial influences. 
Just as reasonably expect an impoverished and worn out soil to 
become fertile and productive without any extraneous influences, 
as to expect the stomach to recuperate its lost energy without 
aid or assistance. 

The treatment for indigestion, as we have said elsewhere, 
should be tonic, restorative, stimulating and alterative to the 
glandular secretions, and calculated to invigorate the stomach, 
blood and the whole system. For the purpose of giving tone 
to the stomach, correcting acidity and producing healthy secre- 
tions, we have used the following prescription, modified, as shall 
hereafter be indicated, with almost if not perfect success : 



25 

Take pulverized gum myrrh, pulverized gentian root, pulver- 
ized columbo root, of each two drams; pulverized rhubarb, 
from one to two drams; pulverized cubeb pepper, half an 
ounce ; pulverized sesqui oxide iron, two ounces. 

Mix all thoroughly together. Dose : from ten to thirty grains, 
three times a day, either just before or just after meals ; it can 
be taken in anything that the patient please, but the best meth- 
od is to take it into the mouth dry, being careful not to draw the 
breath at the same time, and then take two or three sups of 
cold water. The medicine should be taken three times a day, 
in the dose above indicated, unless there is weight at the pit of 
the stomach, (which is very seldom the case where but ten or 
fifteen grains are taken at a dose,) or a good deal of fulness 
of the head, in which cases the dose had better be lessened for 
'a few days and gradually increased to the quantity above pre- 
scribed. 

If there should be obstinate constipation of the bowels, the 
quantity of rhubarb should be increased, or if the bowels are 
not very costive it may be omitted entirely ; and there are 
some persons who can not bear the taste of rhubarb, though in 
this compound it is not much tasted, yet in such cases it had 
better be omitted, as it will interfere with the patient's enjoy- 
ment of his meals, and the bowels should be moved as hereafter 
directed. 

If there is much acidity of the stomach, which will be known 
by the patient's raising a great deal of wind, tasting his food 
and having a good deal of heart-burn, add to the above prescrip- 
tion two drams of super carbonate of soda, and use in the same 
or a little larger dose as above directed. 

If the bowels should be obstinately costive, the cubeb pepper 
may either be entirely omitted or used in less quantity, until 



26 

the bowels shall become more soluble or open, especially if the 
patient can not use the rhubarb as prescribed. Where there 
is a good deal of acidity of the stomach, and bile, the evacua- 
tions from the bowels, under the operations of this treatment, 
will at first be black as tar or pitch, and most intolerably foetid, 
but this will not continue long if the medicine be taken in suf- 
ficiently large doses to neutralize and correct such acidity. 

In a great many cases of indigestion there is great debility of 
the whole system as well as of the stomach, and it is frequently 
the case that the process of digestion will progress for one or 
two hours or for an indefinite period, quite comfortably, and 
then the stomach will cease to act and the digestive process will 
be arrested in a state of half-completion ; this will soon be 
known by a tensive distress in the head, a feeling of tightness 
of the scalp, or a pain from one temple to the other, as though 
a skewer was run through the temples and was being tightened, 
together with many other disturbances of the brain. These 
symptoms are very common where tea and coffee are used by 
the dyspeptic ; at the same time there will be acid eructations 
and a tasting of the food, especially that part of the meal most 
difficult to digest. To meet and remedy this condition of the 
stomach, we have found the most decided benefit from the fol- 
lowing : 

Take rasped quassia, one ounce; bruised cardamon seed, two 
drams; valerian root, Virginia snake root, (serpentaria,) cham- 
omile flowers, canella alba, of each half an ounce. 

Mix and put into a bottle, and add a quart of good rye whis- 
ky, or if preferred, a quart of pure French brandy, and of this 
the patient should take a teaspoonful, or a small quantity at first, 
(enough should be taken to restore the digestive process,) two 



2T 

or three Lours after he takes each meal, until the above symp- 
toms, with many others not noticed, shall subside, when the 
regular use of this article should be discontinued ; but it had 
better be kept on hand, as there will every once and a while be 
a necessity for its use for some time, though the recovery should 
be a very rapid one ; and where there is a recurrence of any of 
the above symptoms after meals, it should be promptly used. 
If the alcohol in this preparation excite the brain unpleasantly, 
there may be a pint of cold water added to it after it has stood 
twenty-four hours. 

In almost if not all cases of indigestion, there is more or less 
neuralgic and rheumatic pain in different parts of the body, 
and very frequently there is great tenderness of the joints, and 
sometimes they are considerably swollen ; then again the pains 
are vao;ue and erratic, sometimes acute, tearino; and burnino; in 
one part and suddenly appearing in another ; in these cases, and 
especially in those of a rheumatic character, it is of great im- 
portance to add one ounce of pulverized gum guaiac to the 
above or last named recipe ; but some persons very much dis- 
like the acrid taste of tincture of gum guaiac ; in such cases, 
where there is much rheumatic development, we desire great 
benefit by adding half an ounce of finely pulverized gum guaiac 
to the first prescription, or the preparation of iron ; and it should 
be distinctly remembered, that all cases of debility of the stom- 
ach, where there is neuralgia or a rheumatic characteristic of 
disease, that those affections are very sure to fasten on the 
stomach to a very considerable degree, hence the importance of 
controlling those forms of disease in the treatment of indigestion. 

The above course of treatment, modified so as to adapt it to 
each case, will only require to be persevered in to cure the most 
inveterate cases of indigestion. We say persevered in. "Well 



28 

how long ? Until you are perfectly cured ; and your cure will 
be too valuable to be estimated by dollars and cents. Use ife 
for two weeks, and you will be some better ; continue as long 
ao;ain, and you will be a good deal better ; persevere, and you 
will be perfectly cured. But do not begin if you calculate on 
an immediate cure ; remember, the whole system has to be rev- 
olutionized : blood, muscle, membranes, glands and all the 
fluids, in one w^ord the whole body as well as the condition of 
the stomach, come in for their share, in the process of curing 
indigestion, and good common sense will at once decide that so 
great and complicated a work can not be performed in a short 
time, especially when all the machinery by which it is to be 
done is so much out of repair. 

We now come to the treatment of that form of indigestion 
that we have denominated relaxation and distension of the 
stomach. This condition is clearly the result of a want of 
of nourishment of the system, producing the greatest degree 
of laxity or relaxation of the muscular fibres of the stom- 
ach, and as it is almost entirely unable to digest food, 
most of what is received into it enters into their chemical affini- 
ties — gas is extricated, and as the stomach is so very feeble 
and flabby, it yields to the distension of gas and fluids, instead 
of contracting and throwing them off, either by vomiting or 
eructation. The indication for cure in these cases we think to 
be very plain, and thus far to us they have been entirely satis- 
factory. Our treatment is, very actively stimulating tonic and 
roborant; we entirely discard the semblance of apoplexy or any 
symptom of inflammatory action, and push a stimulating treat- 
ment thoroughly on our patient, until we get the stomach 
aroused to action and able to digest at least animal food. For 
this purpose we prescribe the annexed : 



29 

Take gum aloes, rhubarb, best capsicum, of each two drams ; 
white snake root, Virginia snake root, (serpentaria,) valerian 
root, conella alba bark, rasped quassia, of each half an ounce. 

Put the whole into a bottle, and add one quart of best rye 
whisky, if to be had 20 per cent, above proof, or a quart of 
best French brandy. Dose : from one to two teaspoonfuls 
three times a day, just before meals ; the patient should use as 
little vegetable diet as possible, and as much animal as he can 
relish ; such as broiled ham, broiled beef-steak, roast beef or 
mutton, soft broiled eggs or the muscular parts of game, or most 
kinds of fowl ; he can take a moderate share of stale bread, or 
of hot mealy Irish potatoes ; but in most instances anything that 
contains much starch will enter into fermentation and result in 
injury, and we often quaintly remark to our patients, in reply 
to the inquiry, "what can I eat?'' ''Eat Sir, why Sir, live 
like a dog, the nearer so the better." Give the above medicine 
in teaspoonful doses, until the bowels shall become open and 
regular, (and we believe we have never seen a case of this kind 
where they were not constipated,) but be careful that you do not 
purge, and as soon as the bowels become regular, give this prep- 
aration in smaller doses, so as merely to secure one operation 
per day; and if there be no dropsical effusion, we give nothing 
else but the above until the digestion is again established, bu^ 
in most instances there is more or less dropsical effusion, and 
generally a very sparse secretion of urine ; and for the purpose 
of exciting the action of the absorbents and kidneys, we give 
the subjoined : 

Take dried squills root, pulverized gentian root, two drams 
each ; nitre or saltpetre, half an ounce ; sesqui oxide iron, one 
ounce; cream of tartar, three ounces. 



80 

Triturate (rub) the squills and nitre in a mortar, until the 
squill is finely pulverized, then add the other articles and mix 
all together ; and the patient should take from one-third to two- 
thirds of an even teaspoonful of this everj four hours, or if it do 
not run off by the bowels, he can take a full teaspoonful of it. 
Its operation on the kidneys and absorbents will be promoted 
by the patient drinking freely of a strong tea of the bark of the 
water willow, (salix latifolia). This course of treatment should 
be continued until all dropsical appearances are subdued, when 
it should be discontinued, and the patient should commence the 
use of the compound of iron, prescribed in the treatment of indi- 
gestion in general, and should use it as there directed, and 
should use the invigorating tincture, as occasion may require, 
or in place of the aromatic tincture, recommended in the treat- 
ment of indigestion in general, to be used two or three hours 
after meals, and should continue the use of these two articles 
until his health is entirely restored, which will require from one 
to three months, or possibly longer. And permit me here to re- 
mark, that bad and fearful as these cases appear to be, they 
seldom resist the above treatment for any great length of time, 
unless the patient was in a dying state when put on the treat- 
ment, when of course it would avail nothing. 

Where the bowels are obstinately costive, no other laxative 
should be used except rhubarb, as it possesses the very rare 
property of strengthening or imparting tone to the action of the 
bowels ; and if rhubarb should not be sufficient, in moderate 
doses, to move the bowels, or if the patient can not take it, the 
bowels should be moved by an injection administered every 
morning : for this purpose warm, or even cold water, in consid- 
erable quantities, generally answers, if administered at the 
same time each day ; and the best time, everything else being 



31 

equal, is immediately after breakfast each morning; but if it 
should not be sufficiently stimulating to produce the desired 
effect, add a tablespoonful of table salt to a pint of warm 
water, which should be used at the same time every day, until 
the bowels become more open or quite regular, when simple 
water may again be used for this purpose. The patient should 
not let any business, pleasure, company or anything else inter- 
fere with this duty, but it should be attended to with the most 
scrupulous exactness, and soon it will become a habit ; and by 
indulging this habit constantly, he will be rid of one of the most 
unpleasant effects of indigestion, an effect too which tends to ag- 
gravate and perpetuate a most distressing disease of which it is 
a result. 



Neuralgia and Diseases of the Nervous System. 

The brain, spinal marrow and nervous system, are but very 
imperfectly understood by the physiologists of the present day, 
and while all admit, that the brain, spinal marrow and nervoas 
system are the seat of sensation, thought and motion, yet there 
is an apparent want of adaptation of means to the end, or the 
mode of their operation is abstruse and difficult to understand, 
and the structure, mechanism and machinery of the brain and 
nerves, do not readily indicate their use ; no person would sup- 
pose from dissecting the brain, that it was the seat of thought, 
or in looking at a nerve, that it transmits sensation or influ- 
enced motion ; hence, in the physiology of the brain, there is 
the widest field for speculation known to any science. Inge- 
nious theory after theory have been constructed and culminated 
for a period, only to be thrown aside by others equally inge- 



32 

nious that claim to rest on a better basis of facts ; yet, these too 
are swept away by yet more plausible hypotheses, until he who 
has devoted most attention to this subject of the mode of the 
operation of the brain and nerves, is left to grope his way in 
the dark, without a single taper to illuminate his dubious path. 
Yet with all this doubt and darkness, that hangs so thickly 
around the essence of the brain, and the manner of its opera- 
tion, and controlling the system, as well as of the manner in 
which it receives impressions, not only from without, but also 
from internal influences. We are intimately acquainted with 
many facts connected with the brain and nervous system ; in 
fact, all that we are, all that we have been, all that we do, all 
that we think, all that gives us pleasure or pain and convinces 
us of our identity or individuality, is from the exercise of and 
impressions upon this mysterious mechanism of God in the 
structure of man. But our object in these pages is, to notice 
some of the facts, that we are perfectly acquainted with, in the 
nervous system and brain ; for instance, we know that opium 
will narcotize the brain, and in large doses produce perfect stu- 
por, coma and death ; so do we know that strychnine produces 
its peculiar impressions on the brain and nerves, resulting in 
spasms of the muscles, convulsions and death ; or that prussic 
acid, or the essential oil of tobacco, will extinguish the excita- 
bility of the entire brain and nervous system ; so of various 
diseased conditions of the brain and nerves. A bit of any 
sharp substance, imbedded in a nerve, or a little of the poison- 
ous saliva of a rabid animal, will throw the whole system into 
convulsions, or the most fatal and unyielding spasms ; so of the 
various other diseased influences that our systems are subject to. 
The brain and spinal cord, as also all nerves, are liable to 
inflammation, congestion, tubercle, cancer, etc. Inflammation 



83 

and congestion of the brain and spinal cord, (which is but a 
prolongation of the brain,) are most generally confounded with 
each other, and if congestion be mistaken for either apoplexy or 
inflammation, under the depleting and exhausting course of 
treatment, the patient will certainly be lost. Inflammation of 
the brain is ushered in with the general symptoms of fever, with 
intense pain in the head, flushing of the face, injected and fiery 
redness of the eyes, intolerance of light and noise, convulsions, 
delirium, great restlessness, especially at night, which, in fatal 
cases, merges into deep coma, stupor and death. If the reduc- 
ing practice of the books be pursued, that is, bleeding, purging, 
blistering, antimonials, mercury to salivation, with applications 
of ice to the shorn scalp, starving, etc., which constitute the 
leading practice of the regular or allopathic physicians, which 
practice, when compared with that which preserves the strength 
and vigor of the patient, and changes the condition of the fluids 
of the system, instead of drawing them from the system, which 
is little less absurd than it would be to puncture the coats of 
an inflamed eye, and draw off the distending humours for the 
purpose of curing the inflammation. In the latter instance, the 
eye only would be lost in the result, but in the former, the 
whole system is prostrated and generally sinks into the grave. 
In inflammation of the spinal cord, there is a great deal of pain 
or inability to move the vertebra or bones of the back, and 
very frequently the spinal column is drawn back or placed in a 
fixed position, that the patient cannot allow to be changed. 
The treatment for this disease is precisely the same as that for 
fever in general, as also for congestion of the brain, which is 
the same as congestive fever with congestion of the brain ; and 
happy will it be for the physician, or any individual who pre- 
scribes the above course of treatment. For inflammation of the 
3 



34 

brain, subdue the arterial excitement, equalize the circulation, 
restore the secretions, and with the other treatment recom" 
mended in this work for fever in general ; this, with all other 
inflammatory affections, will subside as certainly and almost as 
speedily as frost melts before a vernal sun. We have not no- 
ticed the symptoms of any disease in detail, nor have we here 
noticed the symptoms of congestion, though it is so near akin to 
inflammation ; and we here wish to repeat, that it is not the ob- 
ject of this work to more than give a clue to the diseases for 
which it prescribes, but to give remedies that will enable the 
non-professional man to accomplish the cure of diseases as cer- 
tainly as the hungry man satisfies his appetite with good 
wholesome food ; and as we have before said, all that is neces- 
sary is to have sufficient confidence, to prosecute the remedy for 
a sufficient length of time, to accomplish a cure, which in the 
diseases under consideration will be from three to seven days. 
What does it interest the sick man to know that his disease is 
very learnedly classified, divided and subdivided into the 
minutest shades of diseased action by his attending physician, 
who is doing little else for him than merely to note the changes 
disease is making in his system. It has long been the opinion 
of distinguished and eminent physicians, that the healing art 
would be vastly benefited by abolishing all classification and 
nomenclature of disease. We do not expect to refer to this 
subject again in this little compend of medical treatment. What 
do all the immense volumes, written on the subject of healing 
disease, aspire to ? Just what we have said on this humble 
sheet, and nothing more. Like faith in the Christian religion, 
without which it is impossible to please God, so of fever, arterial 
excitement, suppressed action of the secreteries, and unequal cir- 
culation of the blood ; while these continue, there can there will 



35 

be no health. And as of religion so of medicine, both remedies 
are simple : faith is simple reliance on God, and the proper 
remedy for diseased action is, to rectify the derangements of the 
system by the most simple but efficient and natural means. 

Note. — In the above remarks on the regular practice of 
medicine, we do not wish any remark to be construed into un- 
kindness toward the regular medical man. Not at all. They 
think that they are right, just as the Buddhists or Mohammedans 
think that their faith is right and all others wrong. These men 
commenced acquiring their professions when they were young, 
and they have studied one class of authorities all their lives ; 
and it is not to be expected that they will renounce their ac- 
quirements, for it is next to impossible to correct errors in the 
minds of such men. Demonstrate the error, and yet the authority 
of the schools and previous teaching will wed them fast to the 
error, and but few minds will have originality of thought, and 
independence of the authorities on which they rely, sufficient to 
be disenthralled from the trammels and dogmas of the schools in 
which they have studied. 

The next diseased condition of the brain and nerves that we 
notice (and it is mostly confined to the nerves) is Neuralgia or 
Nerve Ache, which is one of the most painful afflictions that 
the human system is subject to. Nerve ache is acute pain in 
some part of the system unattended with the general character- 
istics of inflammation, such as heat, swelling, fever, etc.; but 
there is great sensibility to the touch, the part affected with 
nerve ache feels sore, on pressure, and sometimes is quite 
tender to the touch. Every part of the system is liable to 
Neuralgia, the pain of which varies considerably in diflferent 
parts of the system, or in the same parts at different periods of 



36 

the day. As a general thing, the pain in Neuralgia is acute or 
excruciating, the sensation being sometimes as though the part 
was being separated by a tearing, burning, cutting process ; the 
pain plunges, darts, throbs and twinges with most lacerative 
anguish, and the stoutest men, under its sway, will wail with 
the most piteous outbursts of pain and distress. It is frequent- 
ly intermitting, giving a truce of several hours in twenty-four, 
while the affected parts (if muscular or in the joints) are not 
capable of motion, and are sore to the touch, but when at rest 
are comparatively easy. Sometimes the pain recurs at regular 
intervals, and continues a given length of time ; where it is of 
this character, the pain is generally most insupportably severe. 
If the pain attack a joint, it is frequently mistaken for Rheu- 
matism ; and we have frequently known Neuralgia of the hip 
to be mistaken for ulceration of the hip joint ; so have we seen 
it mistaken for psoas abscess, or abscess in the loins. Neu- 
ralgia of the stomach is a most painful affection, and if con- 
founded with other diseases of that organ, more especially with 
inflammation, would be a very grave error, for a reducing 
treatment will aggravate and perpetuate the disease. We once 
knew a case of this kind where the poor sufferer was bled, blis- 
tered, purged, salivated, starved and narcotized for near a year, 
while the sufferings were so severe that the outcries of the 
patient were most doleful. It sometimes attacks the urinary 
bladder, when the sufferings are most extreme for the time being. 
It very frequently attacks the nerves of respiration, especially 
the nerves between the ribs, in which case there will be many 
symptoms of Pleurisy ; but there will, in general, be a lack of 
the fever that attends Pleurisy. This is a rather troublesome form 
of Neuralgia, as it awakens fears of Consumption. The pain 
in this case is generally confined to a circumscribed point, and 



37 

by running the finger along the margin of the ribs, a point of 
extreme tenderness will generally be discovered. We have seen 
extreme suffering from Neuralgia in the neck. One gentleman 
who had it, suffered two years before we saw him ; a description 
of whose sufferings would incur a suspicion of exaggeration. 
Neuralgia sometimes attacks the deep seated nerves of the 
pelvis and hip. This is rather an obscure disease : the body is 
thrown forward on the pelvis, or the limb on the affected side 
is drawn up, and the patient is unable to extend it. The pain, 
at times, is severe ; it is quite frequently mistaken for abscess 
in the pelvis, and we have seen some cases of undoubted Neu- 
ralgia of this region, in which there has been a collection and 
discharge of matter, and the patient has had a rapid recovery. 
All are more or less acquainted with Neuralgia of the brow, 
called sun pain. Why should this form of Neuralgia be inter- 
mitting and be milder than any other form of intermitting 
Neuralgia? So are the nerves of the teeth subject to Neu- 
ralgia, and when it is confined to one tooth, as it sometimes is, 
it is very likely to result in the loss of a sound tooth, from a 
suspicion of its being decayed. Neuralgia also attacks the 
brain, and that intense pain in the head of so many tea and 
coffee drinkers, is generally nothing more or less than Neuralgia 
of the brain. Neuralgia is sometimes general : we have seen 
every nerve of the whole system, including the whole surface 
of the body, so painful that the patient could not bear to be 
touched even for the purpose of examining the pulse. Our first 
patient of this kind was a boy eight years old ; his disease was 
intermittent, and he would scream every breath with the pain 
for twelve hours out of the twenty-four ; and he could not be 
touched, no matter how carefully, with the point of the finger, 
or the most careful contact, unless he would scream as thouofh a 



knife had been plunged into him. Neuralgia is sometimes very 
erratic : the pain will be most excruciating in one part, and 
with the velocity of electricity translated to another part of the 
system. We have heard a patient scream with pain in her 
ankle, and the next breath with pain in her head, temple (first 
right then left), in her brow, wrist, knee, stomach, bowels, 
shoulder, elbow, and almost every part of the system. This 
patient had a perfect interval, but refused to take anything to 
prevent a return of the paroxysm : and at the next paroxysm it 
translated to her heart and she instantly expired. Erratic Neu- 
ralgia is liable to translate to the heart. We knew a worthy 
Baptist clergyman who had an attack of Erratic Neuralgia ; it 
finally became quite severe in one shoulder — but from some 
premonition he said to his wife : **I believe that pain is going to 
my heart," and he expired, as it had translated to that organ. 
Nearly all the cases of sudden death reported in the prints as 
disease of the heart, are Neuralgia of the heart, and have been 
preceded by the use of nervous stimulants. Neuralgia is fre- 
quently chronic, and presents all the features of the acute form, 
only the pain is less acute or is obtuse ; and most of the pain 
that we so often hear persons complain of, is Chronic Nerve- 
ache, and will yield to the same treatment that will cure the 
acute form of the disease, modified of course, so as to be adapted 
to the case. 

As to the cause of Neuralgia, any debilitating influence pre- 
disposes to Neuralgia : as the loss of blood, the want of healthy 
nourishment, indigestion or imperfect chyle, over-exertion of 
either body or mind, watching, fatigue and anxiety. The fatal 
case above referred to was occasioned by a mother watching 
with great anxiety over her dying son. But the great and 
prolific source of Neuralgia is, the use of nervous stimulants 



39 

and their adverse influence on digestion, the nourishment of the 
body and the nerves of the system, and by nervous stimulants: 
we mean tea, coffee, tobacco, opium and ardent spirits ; but we 
shall confine our remarks principally to tea, coffee and tobacco ; 
and that these articles are nervous stimulants, all will admit, 
for all know that they operate or produce their peculiar effects 
on the body, by exciting the nervous system; and while we 
admit that life is a forced state, and that we live by virtue of 
stimulus, yet there are stimulants that exert a pernicious influ- 
ence on the tone and excitability of the nerves. Tea, coffee and 
tobacco stimulate and ex<;ite the nerves and brain to greater ac- 
tivity than when they are not under their influence. But it is 
not so much the over-action which they produce, that we object to, 
as the peculiar morbid excitability and narcotic effect of these 
articles on the brain and nerves. Why are persons, under the 
influence of these articles, so ecstatic, buoyant, bland? Why 
so full of joy, comfort, hope ? Why is it that everything is 
agreeable, pleasing, captivating, enchanting ? Why this elas- 
ticity, expansion, and elation of mind ? Why this quickening 
of all the emotions, affections and aspirations of the heart? 
Why these brilliant flashes of wit, humor and repartee? And 
are all these the result of healthy, natural stimulus ? And is 
not the machinery of human life being driven too fast? Is 
there not over-action ? Has not something been infused into 
the blood which soothes, relieves, cheers, excites and stimulates 
the brain, nerves, heart and arteries unnaturally? And is not 
this unnatural excitement very analogous to the effects of ardent 
spirits and opium ? 

To prove the unhealthy effects of tea, coffee acd tobacco, and 
demonstrate the influence they exert on those addicted to their 
regular use, suddenly abstain from them, and the other extreme, 



40 

or that of depression, follows as a natural result : and languor, 
lassitude, jactitation, unrest, maluise, depression, gloom, dejec- 
tion, despair, with every other mental, moral and physical dis- 
comfort and unhappiness, is the consequence. And here the 
well known law is illustrated, that over-action of either body or 
mind, brain or muscle, will inevitably be followed by a corres- 
ponding depression, and the equilibrium of the system will 
necessarily be interrupted, if not destroyed ; and, as a result, 
we have undue excitability of the system ; or in other words, 
persons subject to these influences, are denominated nervous. 
** Oh ! my nerves, my nerves !" is a common remark (when not 
under the influence of these stimulants) by those who use them; 
and no cheer or comfort is obtained until the requisite stimulus 
is administered. 

These influences will not always result in Neuralgia, by any 
means ; but they strongly predispose to it, by disturbing the 
nervous system. Nor are all persons who use these stimulants 
affected as above indicated ; but at this day there are but few 
who escape more or less nervous derangement from their use ; 
and a very common eflfect, as we have said when treating of Dys- 
pepsia, is Indigestion, and another equally common, in at least 
persons above middle age, is Palpitation of the Heart; and it 
is of very little use to attempt to cure any of these forms of nerv- 
ous disease and irritation, while the subject of them continue to 
use nervous stimulants. Ill health has become quite fashion- 
able, and just about as common as the use of the above articles. 

As to the eflfect of ardent spirits and opium in producing 
nervous irritation, excitability, or Neuralgia, their operation, 
in most respects, is similar to that of tea, coffee and tobacco, 
only the peculiar narcotic, agrypnic and exciting principle of 
the latter articles excite longer, in general ; while the former 



41 

(ardent spirits and opium) gtimulate and then produce narcot- 
ism or stupor, Tvhen taken in full doses. 

The treatment of Neuralgia consists in correcting any de- 
rangement of the system, such as Indigestion, which is almost 
always associated with Neuralgia, and should be treated as here- 
after indicated, with such modifications as may be suggested ; 
or as the experience of the patient shall indicate; which, of 
course, will include the action of the various secretory glands 
of the body ; and the patient must, if he would either regain 
health or perpetuate it, abstain most scrupulously from all pre- 
disposing causes, and especially from the use of all nervous 
stimulants; and from all pursuits or business that interfere 
with his general health. Good health is incompatible with Neu- 
ralgia. Secure and maintain healthy blood, and there will be 
no Neuralgia ; and the blood must be made healthy in all its 
constituents, before there will be any permanent relief in Neu- 
ralgia. Hence the importance of the patients using a good, 
rich, but plain nourishing diet, especially the more digestible 
meats ; and addicting himself to invigorating exercises in the 
open air ; and all his pursuits or pleasures should be of a char- 
acter to strengthen, and give tone and vigor to the brain, nerves, 
muscles and blood ; he should avoid all heated rooms — all effem- 
inating pleasures ; if he be a scientific individual, he should 
never prosecute abstruse studies too long, or immediately after 
a meal ; if a speaker, he should avoid making a labored effort 
while the process of digestion is in its first stage, or within an 
hour at least after a meal ; and if from acute disease, or from 
any other cause, he be debilitated, he should pursue an invig- 
orating course until his health and strength are perfectly re- 
stored. In one word, never suffer impaired health to continue, 
or a reproof that will not soon be forgotten, will be administered. 



42 

If the bowels be costive iq Neuralgia, they should be gently 
moved (but not purged) by rhubarb, combined with super car- 
bonate of soda ; ten grains of rhubarb and the same amount of 
soda, given every three or four hours until they operate, are an 
excellent laxative in this case, as they correct and carry off any 
acidity of the stomach and bowels. For arresting and mitigat- 
ing the severity of suffering, in acute Neuralgia, we pursue the 
following practice with perfect success : 

Take Dover's powders, one half an ounce ; pulverized capsi- 
cum, one dram. 

Mix and divide into twelve powders, and give one of these 
powders every four, six or eight hours, so as to keep the pain 
entirely controlled ; but if they should produce much sickness 
of the stomach, diminish the dose by throwing out about the 
tenth part of each dose, and at the same time that the patient is 
taking the powders, and without any regard to the time of giv- 
ing them, give the following : 

Take sulphate of quinine, forty grains; carbonate of am- 
monia, one half an ounce ; pulverized capsicum, one dram : cold 
water, thirty teaspoonfuls. 

Mix all in the cold water, and give a full teaspoonful every 
two hours regularly, night and day, until the patient has been 
forty-eight hours without acute pain, when it should be given 
every four hours for two days longer ; and if there be ten drops 
of Fowler's arsenical solution added to each dose of it, it will 
operate more effectually, and there will be less liability of its 
return ; but if the patient object to the use of the solution, it 
may be omitted. As to local applications to the parts, any 
stimulating liniment, or the application of bags of hot salt, 
mustard plaster, hop or any other fomentation, will some times 



43 

give some relief, but in general they are of little or no value ; 
so of the application of blisters, they very seldom do much good. 
We have derived more advantage from the following : 

Take sulphuric aether, aqua ammonia, laudanum, of each one 
ounce ; muriate of ammonia, two drams. 

Mix all together in a bottle, shake it well, and apply it to 
the painful part, and immediately apply a cloth folded three or 
four thicknesses, dipped in cold water and wrung so as not to 
drip, to the painful part ; this may be renewed every three or 
four hours, or as often as the pain becomes severe ; or when the 
parts will admit of the following plaster, we have found it to 
operate most advantageously, though not so speedily as the 
former liniment : 

Take burgundy pitch, one ounce; balsam copaiba one dram. 

Melt both together and spread as thin as possible, on thin 
leather or thick muslin or drilling, taking care to make the 
plasters large enough to extend some distance beyond the seat 
of pain, or if in a limb, let it pass mostly around it, and wear 
the plaster on it until some time after the pain is entirely sub- 
dued. This plaster and the above liniment are of immense 
value where there is pain of any kind, either rhumatic, neural- 
gic or from an old bruise or strain, or any other injury. The 
above treatment should be persevered in until the acute pain is 
pretty well or entirely subdued ; but where there has been con- 
traction of the muscles, as in one form of Neuralgia of the hip, 
and in all cases there is more or less stiffness and soreness in 
the parts affected with Neuralgia, the following prescription 
should be given, until the soreness, stiffness or contraction of 
the muscles are entirely overcome and the patient is clear of 
pain in any part, and enjoys perfect health, which, in some in- 



44 

stances, will require several months, and in the chronic form 
may even require one or two years ; but the patient will be en- 
couraged to persevere from the fact that he will be getting bet- 
ter all the time : 

Take sesqui oxide of iron, four ounces; pulverized gum 
myrrh, pulverized columbo root, of each half an ounce. 

Mix. Dose — from one-fourth to one-third of a teaspoonful 
three times a dfiy, just before meals, and if the bowels should 
be costive, add one or two drams of best pulverized Turkey rhu- 
barb, so as merely to secure one operation from the bowels per 
day. This prescription should be used immediately after the 
solution of quinine, or both had better be used at the same 
time where it is of great importance to control a case at once, 
as in Erratic Neuralgia. 

In Erratic Neuralgia the solution of quinine should be given 
every hour ; until the violence of the pain is controlled, it would 
be well to apply a bottle of hot water to the soles of the feet, to 
aid the operation of the Dover's powders and equalize the circu- 
lation of the blood. 

In Chronic Neuralgia it will seldom be necessary to use the 
Dover's powders, and they should not be used longer in the 
acute than merely to overcome the intense pain. But it is fre- 
quently the case that Chronic Neuralgia becomes acute, when 
the treatment for the acute form will be necessary ; but in gene- 
ral, all that will be necessary in the chronic form, will be for the 
patient to use the plaster or liniment, applied to the parts af- 
fected with pain, and use the preparation of iron regularly until 
the cure is accomplished, which, as above stated, may require 
some time ; or in chronic cases, where the stomach is involved, 
as it generally is, or in acute cases, where the digestion is feeble. 



45 

the aromatic preparation of iron, prescribed in the treatment of 
Indigestion, should be used in place of ^the above, as directed 
in the treatment of Dyspepsia. 

In a practice of more than twenty-five years, we have never 
seen a case of Acute, Inflammatory or Chronic Rheumatism that 
did not yield to the above treatment for Acute and Chronic Neu- 
ralgia. The acute form will generally yield in from five to eight 
days; the chronic will require longer time. 



Tubercle and Tubercular Diseases. 

Perhaps there is no subject on which there is greater variety 
of opinion in the science of diseased action, than on that of tu- 
berculous disease, and we have not the vanity to suppose that 
we shall throw so much light on the various perplexing ques- 
tions that arise in the consideration of this subject, as to recon- 
cile these discordant sentiments, or set at rest any further dis- 
quisition in this direction. Oar only object is to throw out a 
few hints, that may be useful to the afflicted of the human race. 
• Tubercle, or the deposit or infilbration of tubercle, is the 
foundation of a great variety of diseased action. We then in- 
quire what is tubercle ? It is an inorganic deposit from the 
blood, sometimes globular, then again circular or flat in shape, 
semi-transparent yellowish white in color, and of a curdy or 
cheesy consistence and aspect, not exactly coagulated albumen, 
or coagulated lymph, or gelatin, but a peculiar something, that 
under certain circumstances is separated from the blood, and 
may be deposited in every part of the animal system. Tu- 
bercles also vary very much in size, but the general appearance 



46 

that they ia their forming stage present, is granular, or an exu- 
dation of very minute bodies, of the character we have above 
described ; and these small granular bodies have accretions of 
the same character of matter, until their size is so increased that 
they come in contact with contiguous tubercles, and they are 
agglutinated into one mass. We have said that tubercles may 
be deposited anywhere, which is true ; but the great nidus for 
tuberculous deposit, are the mucous membranes, especially of 
the lungs and bowels, but they are also deposited in the brain, 
nerves, serous and other membranes, muscles, and even in the 
bones, especially in the spongy heads of the long bones. The 
effect of the full development of tubercles in the lungs, is 
Pulmonary Consumption ; and yet we are certain, that tu- 
berculous Consumption is not necessarily fatal. It is admitted 
on all sides, by all conversant with this subject, that tubercle is 
a deposit from the blood, and when in the lungs, it is deposited 
on the surface of the mucous membranes of the bronchial tubes 
and cells ; or, in other words, little, small, cheesy, curdy bodies, 
a good deal less than a mustard seed, in almost countless mil- 
lions, are thrown out by the blood, on the lining or inside of the 
lungs, for the lungs are hollow ; and the lining of these tubes 
and cells that constitute this hollow condition of the lungs, is 
called a mucous membrane. Now we have it before us. The 
lungs are an air bag, and the air tubes and cells constitute that 
cavity, and they branch off and separate and multiply into mil- 
lions of air tubes and air cells ; and on the lining of these little 
tubes and cells there may be deposited these very small bodies, 
and though very minute at first, they increase in size by the addi- 
tion of more matter of the same character. Now here is the 
foundation of Consumption with its direful consequences. Tu- 
bercles produce irritation of the mucous membrane, which irrita- 



47 

tion, uncontrolled, will result in inflammation, ulceration, exca- 
vation and confirmed Consumption. The first injurious effect 
from the deposit of tubercles in the lungs, is to mechanically ob- 
struct the air tubes and prevent the proper expansion or opening 
of the lungs for the admission of air ; in the next place, by pro- 
ducing more or less thickening of the delicate membranes, so as 
to prevent the air received into the lungs, from producing its 
natural effect on the blood, and the blood is thus rendered im- 
pure, from retaining carbon and an amount of matter that in 
health is thrown off by pulmonary transpiration, or what might 
be called the sweating of the lungs, for it is to the lungs what 
sweat or perspiration is to the surface, and as the surface can 
not be healthy without a constant perspiration, either sensible 
or insensible, so the structure of the lungs can not be healthy 
without constantly exhaling a fluid. Then, by the obstruction of 
this membrane, the blood does not come in natural proximity to 
the air, and consequently imbibes less oxygen than is requisite 
to vitalize it perfectly, consequently the blood is deteriorated 
by a double process : first, by not throwing off its impurities, as 
it does in health, or as the Creator designed that it should ; and 
in the second place, by not receiving from the air a full amount 
of vitalizing influence, which is generally supposed principally 
to consist in imbibing oxygen gas from the air ; and thus, from 
the deposit of tubercles, the blood is not healthy, and we can 
readily account for the phenomena that attend this state of the 
blood, when we remember that the blood is the pabulum that 
builds up the whole system; that it feeds, nourishes and repairs 
all its wastes and wears by its molicular deposits ; that it is 
healthy blood, and only healthy blood, that can feed, nourish 
and maintain the brain and nerves in health ; that healthy 
blood is requisite in order to mental, moral and physical action, 



48 

and without it, there can, there will be no full, free, unincum- 
bered enjoyment of life. 

The second effect of tubercles that we notice is, that they 
operate as irritants upon the membranes where they are depos- 
ited ; not that we suppose that they contain anything that is 
caustic or acrid, but they interrupt the functions of the mem- 
branes, and by their presence act as any other foreign or ex- 
traneous substance ; and from irritation the membrane is ex- 
cited to inflammation, which is manifested by the secretion of 
mucus, which at first is thin, glary or ropy, like the white of 
an egg, but it soon becomes thicker, and soon a little yellowish, 
and soon after may be seen cast off, or separated tubercles in 
the matter spit off or raised from the lungs ; these detached tu- 
bercles look like and are little yellowish white, curdy specks, 
of more solid matter than the fluid in which they float, and are 
easily distinguished from the secretions of the inflamed mucous 
membrane. This condition is attended with more or less fever, 
with difficulty of breathing, of greater or less intensity, with 
cough, that is generally short and hacking, as though the lungs 
were irritated with some foreign body, such as dust, acrid aro- 
ma, vapor or gas diffused in the air ; the patient generally has 
some appetite, and very often thinks that he is only slightly in- 
disposed, and that he has contracted a cold from which he ex- 
pects to be well in a short time ; this is, however, an important 
period in tuberculous disease, and as we shall hereafter point 
out, should not be neglected ; but if the case is not controlled 
at this stage — and this stage is of very indefinite duration, it 
may last for a few days or for a few weeks or months, or even 
years — after a while the irritated mucous membrane will take on 
ulceration, which is manifested by an aggravation of all the 
above symptoms ; and this ulceration will sooner or later result 



49 

in scooping out and breaking down the membranous, tubular 
and cartilaginous structure of the lungs, and a cavity of greater 
or less extent will be formed ; or the inflammation may result 
in the formation of an abscess, and in this event the amount of 
matter discharged may be for a while much, as in the stage of 
irritation of the lungs, with a good deal of difficulty in breath- 
ing, and harrassing cough, but in some one of these fits of 
coughing, the abscess will burst into (in general) the bronchial 
tubes, and the patient will discharge a large amount of pus of 
various appearances : some creamy yellow, other streaked with 
blood and shreddy. The immediate effect of the bursting of an 
abscess is various, but in general the patient's breathing is re- 
lieved for the present, though he will continue to cough and 
discharge matter. Abscess may be the result of inflammation 
of the lungs, independent of tubercles, and the patient have a 
rapid recovery after the discharge of the matter. This ulcera- 
tion of the structure of the lungs is but the effect of tubercles, 
and the emaciated condition of the system and of the blood and 
vital powers, that has resulted in the formation of tubercles, and 
also to perpetuate and multiply them. This stage of tubercu- 
lar disease, is generally attended with a peculiar fever, called 
Hecti<j Fever ; its characteristics may be summed up (for we are 
only giving a synopsis) as about these : a chilliness of greater or 
less intensity, some time during each twenty-four or forty-eight 
hours, followed by fever, in which the surface is apt to be hot, 
and will impart a peculiar tingling sensation to the finger ; the 
pulse is rapid, with a twitching or spasmodic rhythm, that all 
good observers will not mistake as being a characteristic of tu- 
bercular ulceration, no matter where situated ; and that particu. 
lar pulse has made the writer feel melancholy and gloomy, times 
without number, in contemplating the destiny of his patient ; 



50 

but happily, when it has been controlled by the interposition of 
the curative art, and a calm, open, quiet, round, regular pulse 
is felt at the same wrist, his joy and consolation has been 
equally intense. This stage of excitement will last for an un- 
certain length of time, and then be followed by a drenching 
perspiration. This condition is some times attended with a 
hectic blush, which is a circumscribed vermilion spot on one or 
both cheeks, during the fever, but in many instances it is en- 
tirely wanting, and the countenance is generally flushed as in 
other forms of fever. This stage of tubercular disease is fre- 
quently attended by diarrhoea, which in general is occasioned by 
a deposit of tubercles in the mucous membranes of the bowels 
and mesenteric glands, and if the diarrhoea be dependent on 
irritation, inflammation or ulceration of the bowels (as in the 
lungs) from the influence of tubercles, it adds very much to the 
intractable character of the disease ; and if the tubercles are so 
numerous as to obstruct the lacteals, (the vessels that absorbs 
the chyle in the bowels,) or if the inflammation and ulceration 
caused by tubercles, have produced that effect, the patient can 
not be nourished and must sink under the influence of disease, 
and from a want of nourishment. 

That peculiar condition of children, called theWeaning-brash 
(or Tobsmesenterica), is occasioned by the deposit of tubercles 
in the mesenteric glands, and generally in other parts of the 
system, and the indigestion, tumid upper lip, enlarged glands 
of the neck, and other parts, the distended abdomen, emacia- 
tion, and dropsical effusion, indicate not only the presence of 
tuberculous disease, but also the various stages of their effects 
on the surfaces upon which they are deposited. So is Dropsy 
of the Brain, in most cases, the result of tubercles in the mem- 
branes of the brain, producing these specific effects. So also 



51 

is that painful affection White Swelling, frequently caused by 
the irritation of tubercles in the bones, more especially in the 
long bones. So of that dreadful form of Sore Eyes, that so 
often attacks children, that have, in the first place, tumid and 
inflamed upper lips and nostrils ; and finally the little sufferer 
is unable to bear the least light, and will scream as though 
boiling water had been thrown into the eyes, if compelled to 
expose the eyes to a moderate light. 

We have taken this rapid view (but a sketch) of tubercle, 
for the purpose of calling attention to its real nature, or rather 
cause, prevention and cure. 

There can be no question as to the cause of tubercles. At 
this day we believe — though some are yet so plodding as to mistake 
the effect for the cause, and after tubercles have advanced so 
far as to produce inflammation, etc., suppose that the inflamma- 
tion was the cause of the tubercles, instead of the tubercles 
causing the inflammation, and treat it by reducing the system, and 
thus adding oil to the already rapidly consuming flame — the 
cause of tubercles is an anemic, emaciated, enfeebled, wasted 
and debilitated state of the system and blood, caused in general 
by indigestion and want of nourishment, whether such want of 
nourishment be caused by a poor, watery, vapid, innutricious, 
unwholesome diet, or the food be sufficiently rich in nourishing 
material ; but the stomach, from some adverse influence, be in- 
capable of digesting, or there be some defect in the bowels, or 
other organs, whose office it is to aid in the process of nourish- 
ing the system. (See remarks on Indigestion.) 

To illustrate this point, a gentleman of intelligent observa- 
tion called at our office the present season. Said he : "My 
little daughter is not taking sufficient food, she eats but little, 
and eats no meat, and is pining away; but she is not sick, she 



52 

is around all the time, but looks pale and sickly." We direct- 
ed the tonic prescribed in this work for indigestion, and directed 
that the little girl (eight years old) be released from school and 
studies for some time, and in three or four weeks we inquired 
after our patient : '' ! perfectly well ! '' was the reply. Now 
this gentleman manifested no more than good common sense 
solicitude about the health of his daughter, but how seldom is 
it exercised with reference to members of the family ! But if a 
favorite horse is pining, dull and moping, eating mincingly, and 
but little at that; or even the house dog is observed to lick his 
tone tardily, there is solicitude at once awakened, and every 
remedy and means of recovery are put in requisition, until the 
noble horse picks up his ears, eats his usual meals, neighs, gam- 
bols, and performs as usual in evidence of his good health : and 
yet members of families are suffered to mope around in gloomy 
oppression from ill health for years, dragging out a miserable 
existence, and there is not half the effort made for their cure 
that is made to recover the health of a valuable horse ; until 
Scrofula sets in and tubercles are developed, just to take the 
miserable sufferer out of this world of pain and woe. 

A gentleman once said to us : * 'Doctor, I want you to attend 
to my little girls, they are all sick and feeble, and have been so 
for some time." This gentleman was wealthy, and usually fat- 
tened on his own farms upwards of a thousand head of cattle, 
and several thousand hogs a year. Our reply was this : " Sir, 
if you will give your little girls as good a chance for life and 
health as you give your cattle and hogs, we will cure them and 
keep them well." Said he (with a smile) ''of course I will." 
"Very well," said we in reply, "give plenty of good, plain, 
nourishing diet, such as our parents gave us, to your little girls, 
let them run and romp all they please." And we gave them a 



53 

light tonic, as recommended under the treatment of Indigestion, 
and they were well in a few weeks, and have been so ever since. 
Now this gentleman was wealthy, and his physician had given 
him a refined treatment and regimen ; and there was another 
class of influences to work in this family, which was an effort 
to have these little girls delicate and refined in their personal 
development, and if it had continued, they would have been re- 
fined to dust long ago ; for when they came into our hands, 
they were as frail as shadows, and as bloodless in appearance as 
alabaster; and what applies to this family, as to health, will 
apply to millions of individuals and families. Under some 
whims of somebody, or under some misapprehension, the system 
is not nourished ; good, rich, healthy chyle is not introduced 
into the blood through its proper channel ; the blood, instead of 
being nourished and rich in all its constituents, is deficient in 
its red particles, has too much albumen, and not enough fibrine, 
and other deficiencies and excesses, that result in the deposit 
of tubercles, instead of the system being nourished by the reg- 
ular molecular deposits from the blood. 

We have said nothing about bleeding from the lungs as a re- 
sult of ulceration, caused by the deposit of tubercles. iSTor 
have we said anything on the subject of hereditary predisposition 
to tubercles, for the reason that this little work is now more ex- 
tended than we had intended ; but on the subject of predispo- 
sition to tubercle, we would say that it is reasonable that this, 
as any other mental, moral or physical peculiarity, should be 
transmitted from parent to offspring, and to avoid the deposit 
(in such cases) of tubercles, only requires that the system 
should be preserved in good health, and not barter health (and 
receive in exchange Consumption) for a little science, the ac- 
quisition of some reputed mental or personal accomplishment^ 



54 

the indulgence of some enervating pleasure, or some effeminat- 
ing vice. 

The author has been in the habit of keeping a flock of fine 
wooled sheep, and was induced to let his fields grow up to grass 
in the summer season, and let his sheep run over them in the 
winter season ; but the frost-killed grass was not sufiBciently 
nourishing, and notwithstanding they were fed considerable grain, 
and the sheep appeared to be plump and round, yet they were 
not sufficiently nourished, and they took on tubercular disease, 
and we lost over one hundred out of six hundred, with tuber- 
cles of the lungs and intestines, the mesenteric glands of which 
were a perfect mass of tubercles ; and yet the surviving sheep 
appeared to become perfectly healthy the next summer, and be- 
came very fat ; but the glands of the mesentery, on their being 
slaughtered, presented a good many tubercles. Here is a per- 
fect proof of our position : if the above flock of sheep had been 
fed on good rich food, there would not two per cent, have died ; 
and it is well known that any red blooded animal can be ren- 
dered tuberculous by a thin, watery, or innutricious diet, and 
by confinement in a dark, cool, moist apartment. We close 
our remarks on tubercles with a few inferences. 

Tubercles are not a part of the system. They may be ab- 
sorbed and carried out of the body, where they are in contact 
with absorbents, as in the bones, muscles, glands, etc.; they 
may be separated from the surface of the mucous membranes, 
pass off by the natural outlets of these cavities, (the lungs, 
bowels, etc.,) and the system be perfectly depurated from any 
tubercular taint. 

It is not the present crop of tubercles that we should be 
anxious about, so much as the tubercular tendency that exists 
in the system, that should be subdued ; and that unless it is 



55 

subdued, it will not avail much to be using palliatives, especial- 
ly with a calculation of permanent benefit or cure. 

Where the system can be nourished (as it can, except in some 
cases of ulceration of the bowels from deposit of tubercles), 
tubercular disease is as easily cured as the Itch or Leprosy, or 
any other scabby or scaly disease ; and the cure of tubercle de- 
pends entirely on effecting a change in the blood, by removing 
all tuberculous matter from it, and making it perfectly healthy 
in all its constituents. Blood, to be pure, must be properly 
exposed to the air in the lungs, and it is important to inflate 
every air cell, when so many are obstructed by tubercles and 
the thickening of the membranes; therefore, throw the shoulders 
back and make a full, long breath, so as to fill the whole chest; 
then shut the mouth and hold the nostrils closed, and blow, so 
as to expand the windpipe, bronchical tubes, and air cells that 
did not inflate on drawing the breath in, and practice these deep 
inspirations several times a day, in the open air or in as pure 
air as possible. 

Imperfect digestion, in all cases, has been a prelude to tuber- 
cle, and it is not only possible, but highly probable, that tubercle 
is entirely dependent on an acid, acrid or imperfect chyle, that 
cannot be perfectly assimilated to the uses of the system, and 
the crudities of this chyle, in the blood, results in the deposit 
of tubercles. 

Healthy blood is dependent on healthy digestion, and the 
digestion must be healthy for some time before the blood can be 
entirely recovered from the effects of indigestion ; therefore, in 
case of feebleness or emaciation from indigestion, pursue the 
tonic course prescribed in the treatment of Indigestion, and 
pursue it for months after pretty good health is attained, and be 
careful to invigorate the system by every possible means, es- 



56 

peciallj by exercise in the open air, and by plenty of plain, 
nourishing diet. 

Everything that disturbs the functions of the stomach, or en- 
feebles its action, will deprive the blood of healthy chyle, and 
will perpetuate the deposit of tubercles : therefore, use no ex- 
pectorant unless you know what its effect will be on the digestion, 
and use no expectorant that contains anything that will produce 
nausea, or sickness of the stomach, such as lobelia, tartar 
emetic, ipecac, cox hise syrup, nitre, salt petre or mercury in 
any form ; and the above articles enter more or less into every 
prescription recommended in the books for the palliation of 
tubercle ; for the books of the allopathic profession do not pre- 
tend to cure tubercle (nor should they and use such remedies), 
but only to palliate and smooth the passage to the grave. 

It is very frequently the case that medical men mistake the 
derangement of the stomach for what they call an affection of 
the liver, or they charge the liver with being torpid, inflamed, 
enlarged, or perhaps with abscess, etc. (all of which is general- 
ly a foul slander on the poor liver), and prescribe blue mass, 
mercury and chalk, small doses of calomel and opium, friction 
with mercurial ointment variously combined, over the region of 
the liver, diluted nitric acid, or nitric and muriatic acid baths, 
with the internal use of one or both of these articles, pustula- 
tion with tartar emetic, or blisters, seatons, or issues, over the 
region of the liver ; all of which are pernicious and a positive 
injury to the patient, and no patient that has tubercles, and has 
been salivated, will ever recover entirely from its injurious 
effects ; and all the curative effect of the above treatment, is 
positively injurious ; and this is tacitly admitted by medical men 
who have tested the above treatment. Hence they advise all 



57 

persons that are tuberculous, not to use medicines, or if they 
do, to use old ladies' remedies and not to use strong medicines. 

All counter-irritants that discharge pus, or any matter, are a 
drain on the system, and produce nervous irritation and fever, 
which derange the digestion, and excite arterial action, and 
should never be tolerated for a moment in cases of tuberculous 
disease ; and if there be pain and stitching, use the plaster or 
liniment recommended in the treatment of Neuralgia, or any 
stimulating application that will not produce much pain. 

As to the use of expectorants in cases of ulceration of the 
lungs, from the deposit of tubercles, in general they are of 
little or no value, only as palliatives, but some are much better 
than others, as some aid digestion and excite healthy secretions 
in the glands, sustain the strength and calm nervous irritation. 
We know of nothing equal to the following : 

Take skunk cabbage root, dandelion root, burdock root, wild 
cherry bark, of each four ounces if green, or if dry, one ounce ; 
puccoon, or blood root, rattle root, white snake root, one ounce 
of each if green, if dry, one-half ounce. 

Slit the roots if green, or if they are dry bruise them in a 
mortar and put them into two quarts of water about half boil- 
ing hot, on a stove or by a fire, where they can be kept sim- 
mering, but not boiling, for four hours, then strain off the fluid 
and add one-third as much good French brandy, or good rye 
whiskey as there is of the infusion, to it, and make a very rich 
syrup with loaf sugar, at least one pound to each pint. Dose 
— From half to a teaspoonful and a half every four or six hours, 
or if the breathing be pretty free, once or twice a day, and the 
patient should, at the same time that he uses this preparation, 
pursue the tonic course of treatment recommended in Indiges-* 



58 

tion ; and should remember that this compound, though one of 
the best expectorants and alteratives, will not affect a cure, and 
that the blood will not be rendered healthy, and the tendency 
to tubercular deposit eradicated from the system entirely, with- 
out the use of iron in some form for a considerable length of 
time ; and the best preparation and compound for tubercular 
disease, is that prescribed in the treatment of Indigestion, to 
which we refer the reader ; and the whole course of invigorating 
treatment recommended in the treatment and cure of Indiges- 
tion, is just the treatment for the prevention of tubercle, and 
its cure after it is deposited. We however subjoin one more 
prescription, which is valuable in cases of Hectic Fever, but 
not more so than the febrifuge prescribed for fever in general, 
but the taste of the follo^ving preparation may bo more palatable 
than the febrifuge : 

Take copperas, one dram ; pulverized gum myrrh, two drams ; 
carbonate of potash (saleratus), one dram ; compound spirits of 
lavender, two ounces ; water, one quart ; sesqui oxide of iron, 
one half ounce. 

Put the pulverized myrrh (it should be finely pulverized) 
and carbonate of potash into a bottle, and add the spirits of 
lavender and about half of the water, and shake them thorough- 
ly for a few minutes, then add the other ingredients and the 
remainder of the water. Dose — From one-half to a full table- 
spoonful three or four times a day, just before or just after 
meals. The bottle should be well shaken each time before it is 
taken, as this is a mixture ; and enough should not be taken to 
give any nausea or distress of the stomach. It may be sweet- 
ened a little, but in general it operates fully as well without it. 



59 



EvACUANTS, Blood Letting, Emetics, Purgatives, Mer- 
cury, AND Diet eor the Sick. 

Evacuants, in the sense in which we wish to use them, are 
anything that takes prematurely out of the system that which 
in health is retained in it, or is discharged in another condition 
as mere refuse matter, after it has accomplished its legitimate 
object and use in the system ; and we first notice the effects of 
blood-letting on the system. 

The first result of drawing blood is felt by the heart, which 
is enfeebled in its action in consequence of there not being a 
supply of blood to fill the ventricles, and stimulate it to its 
usual contractions ; hence in the loss of blood the heart becomes 
feeble in its actions, just in proportion to the amount of blood 
abstracted, until the heart, not being sufficiently stimulated, 
shall cease to act, and death ensue. But it is taking away 
blood for the purpose of curing disease, that we notice more 
particularly. Now suppose the heart and - arteries to beat and 
pulsate violently in any given case ; the pulse at the wrist to be 
full, strong, round, resisting and uncompressible, and from one 
hundred to one hundred and ten or twenty in frequency, in a 
minute ; the skin injected or every capillary filled and at fever 
heat, or generally hot and burning to the touch, with intense 
thirst for cold water ; suppressed salivary and other secretions, 
with extreme pain in the head ; intolerance of light and sound, 
furious delirium, excruciating pain in the loins and limbs, in 
one word, in the whole system. Now such a case is of every 
day occurrence to the physician in practice, and all allopathy 
says, bleed until that pulse gives way, and this overaction of 
the heart and arteries is subdued. 



60 

It of course will make no difference what this diseased condi- 
tion shall be called — the hot stage of an Ague — Inflammatory 
Fever — Inflammation of the Brain — continued fever — or no 
matter by what name, here is a diseased state to be controlled, 
and how shall it be done ? Tie up the arm and draw blood, 
until the heart ceases to act so violently, and we produce ap- 
proaching fainty or entire swoon, and the surface shall relax, 
and the circulation shall become temporarily equalized, and the 
pain in the head, delirium, intolerance of light and sound, in- 
tense heat and thirst are overcome. Now we have all the ben- 
efits from blood-letting that can be derived from it in this case, 
or at least in this paroxysm, without any of its evils, we will sup- 
pose ; and here let the question arise, what caused the disturb- 
ance in this case ? The advocate of the lancet replies, too much 
blood. Not at all, or we shall have no more paroxysms of the 
same character, for the excess of blood is withdrawn from the 
system ; but we continue to have recurrent daily paroxysms of 
the same character of the former ; and the more we drain the 
system of its blood and nourishing fluids, the more grave and 
intense the diseased action becomes, until the patient sinks under 
the disease and from exhaustion. But that too much blood was 
not the cause of the disease, in this or any other possible case, 
is easily proved : for in no case of disease is it possible to have 
more blood than in health, for the moment that we cease to be 
well we cease to make or generate blood, and then are having 
less and less all the time, as every secretion is from the blood ; 
whereas, in good, vigorous, firm health, we have more blood, and 
blood of richer and more stimulating quality, than at any other 
time. So this fact (from which there is no reasonable appeal) 
settles the question of too much blood being the cause of the dis- 
ease as above sketched, or any other diseased action ; and this 



61 

is easily proved by recurring to a fit of Ague. Now if the 
paroxysm was shortened by blood-letting, it is no evidence that 
too much blood was the cause of it, or it would not return when 
its cause (too much blood) was removed. So of the relief from 
blood-letting in any disease. There is no benefit from blood- 
letting in any case, unless the bleeding produce sweating, that 
shall continue some time. Now it very often happens that 
when the arm is tied up for the purpose of blood-letting, that 
the patient will swoon from fear of the operation, and the re- 
laxation of fainting is always attended with sweating, and the 
patient will continue to sweat and experience entire relief, just 
as could be desired to follow the most successful bleeding. 
And it is a well known rule to draw as little blood as possible 
in all cases, hence patients are frequently bled in the upright 
posture and from a large opening in the vein, so as to make an 
impression. Then, from these various considerations, it can 
not be maintained that any person requires in any case to be 
bled because he has too much blood, but that those who bleed, 
do it not for the purpose of removing an excess of blood from 
the system, but for the purpose of producing an impression on 
the general system. Now if that eflfect can be produced by 
any other means — and the effect that we refer to is equalizing 
the circulation of the blood, and restoring the secretions— of 
course the necessity for bleeding will be obviated, to say noth- 
ing at present of the bad consequences that so frequently result 
from bleeding. This view of the subject clearly demonstrates 
that the blood contains some irritating material, that is thrown 
from it by the principal secretories, that is, of the skin and 
lungs, the salivary glands, stomach and bowels, pancreas, liver, 
kidneys, etc.; for while the secretions of these different organs 
and tissues are either depraved, or partially or entirely arrest- 



62 

ed, diseases of various grades and characters will afflict the 
body. Now the indications for the cure of disease are plain — 
not to draw off the vital fluid, for the blood is the great vehicle 
to repair the injuries that the system has sustained, and we 
have proved that there is not too much of it, but less in disease 
than there is in health, and consequently we need more of it 
instead of less, but to change the quality of the blood by depu- 
rating it as in health from the excrementitious matters that it 
contains, from some morbific influence, arresting the various 
secretions of the body ; and to illustrate : if the kidneys do not 
secrete, we have urea, lithic acid, phosphorus, lime and common 
salt and other articles retained in the blood, that should have 
been separated from it by the kidneys, and if this continues for 
any time, we have all tho characteristics of a very grave form 
of disease. So of the secretions of the skin and lungs, these im- 
mense membranes pour out continually in health various salts 
and fluids, that, if retained, operate at once as foreign sub- 
stances and produce disease ; and all know that the moment 
this occurs (repelled perspiration) there is languor and oppres- 
sion of the system, that must be thrown oflT or disease will be 
established. So of the salivary secretions, and the secretions 
of the stomach, bowels and pancreas. Here is a powerful secre- 
tion, that is designed to be daily separated from the blood ; and 
the elements of these secretions are in the blood always in 
health, but as the organs secrete but scantily in disease, there 
is an excess that produces irritation and excitement. Here we 
have a solvent that possesses rare chemical properties, and yet 
from diseased action, all the salts, acids and ingredients of these 
fluids, are not separated from the blood, but are retained in it 
and operate as irritants to the heart and arteries. So of the se- 
cretions of the liver ; no matter, for our present purpose, what 



63 

the chemical properties of the bile may be, it is well known to 
be an acrid and powerful stimulant. We do not suppose that 
any of these organs entirely cease to perform their offices, yet 
we know that most of them perform them imperfectly in many 
diseases, and, as we have said, the indications are very plain as 
to the immediate cause of the disease, and the benefit resulting 
from restoring and equalizing the circulation of the blood and 
secretions. 

As to the remote cause of disease, or the influence on the 
system that produces the first derangement of the system, all 
know that this is only known to God. We attribute disease to 
anything, to everything or to nothing, apparently with as much 
confidence in the one as the other. If the season be cold when 
disease occurs, it is charged to the very cold atmosphere, and if 
hot, to the oppressive heat; if the air be hot and dry, to the 
drouth and heat, if cool and moist, to the damp and cold ; if 
fruits abound, to eating trash, and if fruits do not abound, to 
the want of them and the use of too much animal diet ; if ^ve 
have electrical showers, to electricity, and if not^ to the want of 
such showers ; and after all this, to make sure of a cause, we 
take wings and ascend into the air, in search of poisoned mi- 
asmata, of either animal or vegetable origin. And thus we 
go on in our search of the cause of disease, without coming to 
any rational conclusion. So then, we may just as well content 
ourselves on the subject of the remote cause of disease, and 
when it occurs, apply those remedies that will most certainly 
and speedily cure it. And now, to recur to the subject of 
blood-letting in the treatment of disease, we make this infer- 
ence, that it does sometimes control disease by producing relax- 
ation of the skin and secretory surfaces, for they always act 
together, and eliminating from the blood that which produces 



64 

the disturbance in the system. But blood-letting is always a 
hazardous remedy, for all the system is supported by the blood; 
and in taking enough to subdue diseased action, as soon as the 
secretories have separated from the blood their respective se- 
cretions, as saliva, bile, gastric fluid, etc., the remaining por- 
tion of blood is not sufficient to sustain the system ; and there 
is positive disease from the want of blood, and the most appal- 
ing, dangerous and fatal prostration will sometimes ensue ; for 
the blood is drawn during the stage of excitement ; but as soon 
as the exciting influences in the blood are separated from it, it 
not only ceases to excite too much, but it does not stimulate 
enough ; hence, if the patient do not sink under the first shock, 
from the loss of blood, yet the blood is poor and vapid, from 
having absorbed water to make up its volume, and typhoid 
characteristics will at once become apparent. Now if the oppo- 
site course be pursued, that is, retain the blood, and remove 
from it the offending material, and then the system is supported 
with its usual quantity of blood, except what it has lost by sup- 
plying the system and secretions, without its being replenished 
by nourishment ; and hence debility is always the result of dis- 
ease. Husband the strength and spare the energies of the 
system as we may, for the moment that secretion is arrested, 
we cut oflf the supply of chyle to the blood, and it is only nour- 
ished by drawing on the solids of the system, as in the absorp- 
tion of fat, muscle, etc., which at once begin to disappear ; 
hence the emaciation and debility of disease, which will not 
only continue, but increase, until the system can be nourished. 
Emetics or vomits are substances that stimulate the stomach, 
so as to produce vomiting, which consists in the action of the 
stomach being inverted, and its contents being thereby rejected. 
Vomits are supposed to be valuable for the purpose of cleans- 



65 

ing the stomach of foul accumulations in fever and other acute 
diseases ; than which, it is hardly possible to conceive of a 
greater error, for the sensibility of the stomach is such, that it 
will reject offending matter without aid, and all who administer 
vomits, for the purpose of carrying off bilious or other foul mat- 
ter, (as they suppose,) have been disappointed, when at the 
first or second operation they find nothing but the drinks thrown 
up, with the dose given to vomit, and a little mucus ; and if the 
operation should stop here, there will not be anything more dis- 
charged, but if the patient continue to retch, or make efforts to 
vomit, bile will pass up into the stomach and will be discharged 
by vomiting. Now this is conclusive evidence that the stom- 
ach was not loaded with foul accumulations that the emetic was 
given to dislodge. But in acute diseases many think that they 
should take a vomit because they have a bad taste in their 
mouth, sickness at the stomach, and perhaps occasional vomiting, 
especially if they have a sense of weight or constrictive drawing 
pain at the pit of the stomach. Where such symptoms are pres- 
ent, and the patient or his physician administer an emetic, all 
the above symptoms will be aggravated, and if the vomit be of 
emetic tartar, the patient will probably be lost, for the stomach 
is congested in such cases, and a vomit will produce so much ir- 
ritation, not only of the stomach, but also of the bowels, that it 
will hardly be subdued, and the irritation will result in inflam- 
mation ; and constant vomiting and purging will prostrate the 
patient beyond recovery. When we were young in the pro- 
fession, we gave vomits in the treatment of fever, but we were 
always troubled to overcome the irritation of the stomach that 
they produced, (though at the time we supposed that it was a 
feature of the disease ; ) but since we have discontinued their 
use, we have not had a single case of irritation of the stomach. 



66 

and our patients take, retain and digest more or less food every 
day. Vomits are useful to dislodge mucus from the lungs of 
children who have Congestion or Inflammation of the Lungs, 
and are useful in some cases of Croup. The attempt to cleanse 
the stomach and bowels, by the administration of vomits and 
purgatives, is one of the most absurd notions that can be con- 
ceived of, and we are satisfied, does more to render disease 
fatal in the hands of the profession, than all the quackery of the 
universe. Besides the fear that there may possibly be some 
offending matter in the stomach and bowels, it induces the physi- 
cian to administer ipecac, or what is much worse, tartar, with 
calomel and other purgatives, all of which produce irritation, 
and generally inflammation of the follicles if not of the mucous 
membranes and muscular coats of the stomach and bowels ; and 
thus, by pursuing this course of practice, he produces precisely 
the condition of these parts that, by his practice, he was en- 
deavoring to guard against and avoid. Now let the stomach 
alone, as to cleaning it out, only give it a plenty of plain, nour- 
ishing diet in disease, and if bile should pass up into it, you 
will hear from it, for it will throw it up, and in a short time be 
ready to take and digest food. 

As to active purgatives, we are satisfied that they should 
never be used in any case of acute disease, and if we know of 
any exception it is in the use of hydragogue purgatives, to car- 
ry off water in cases of dropsy ; but to use purgatives for the 
purpose of cleansing the stomach and bowels, or carrying off 
foul accumulations, is an absurd idea ; to be sure, if the 
bowels have become torpid, and there is an accumulation of 
fecal matter, a tonic laxative should be given, so as ultimately 
to stimulate the bowels to healthy action ; and that is all that is 
necessary. And it is often necessary to continue a tonic laxa- 



6T 

tive for some time, until the bowels regain tone, in cases of 
great debility and torpor of the bowels ; but in acute diseases, to 
give a purgative to cleanse the bowels, in nineteen cases out of 
twenty, if such purgative operates five or six times, it will re- 
sult in excitement, irritation and inflammation of the^ mucous 
membrane of the stomach and bowels, that renders the disease 
vastly more unmanageable; in fact, to overcome this state of the 
stomach and bowels, constitutes the chief sourse of treatment 
afterwards, and the physician who gives active purgatives, will 
have plenty to do to control the mischief that his purgatives 
have done, especially if he attempts to train the liver into good 
behavior, by correcting doses of calomel, to be followed by 
other purgatives, as oil, salts, infusion of senna, etc. In all 
cases of acute disease, the circulation is more or less deranged, 
and in proportion to this derangement, is the tendency to en- 
gorgement and congestion of the stomach and bowels, which can 
only be overcome by determining the blood from these organs to 
the surface ; but all substances that either vomit or purge, do 
so by determining the blood to the mucous membrane of the 
stomach and bowels, and this engorged state can not exist long 
without producing irritation, that is transmitted to the muscular 
coats of the stomach and bowels ; and the whole structure of the 
alimentary canal, is involved in inflammatory action, and the 
consequences are fully involved and realized to the most un- 
pleasant extent, that active purgatives and lavements were in- 
tended to prevent ; and yet the physician who uses these arti- 
cles will tremble if his patient should not have an evacuation 
every twenty four hours, lest some mischief should happen, and 
prescribes senna or oil, or something else that he thinks is mild, 
to produce that effect, for fear that the quiet of the patient's 
bowels, will result in inflammation. We long since adopted 



68 

the rule not to interfere with the action of the bowels, if there 
was an operation once in every twenty-four or forty-eight hours, 
in any acute disease ; and in the treatment of chronic disease, 
not to interfere with the patient's general habit, for it is well 
known that some healthy persons do not evacuate the bowels 
oftener than once a week, and some times a good deal longer, 
without any unpleasant consequences. 

We have already noticed mercury as a purgative, but it is 
frequently prescribed to produce an alterative or correcting 
effect, that is, to so change the action of the glands of the sys- 
tem, as to substitute healthy for diseased action ; or where there 
is torpor, to excite to action. This is a laudable object, and if 
mercury would accomplish it^ it would be worthy of all praise ; 
and that it does sometimes, to some extent, must be admitted, 
but it just as often, nay much oftener, produces the most dis- 
astrous consequences, from which the system can never be re- 
covered. If mercury stimulates the salivary glands just enough 
to restore salivary secretions, there will be restoration of gastric, 
pancreatic, biliary and other secretions, and the result will be 
favorable, as we have maintained throughout this work; and 
this is the extent of the benefit of mercury ; but at the same 
time, it is liable to produce profuse salivation, which in every 
instance is a more serious disease, and involves more serious 
consequences, than any disease (if properly treated) that mer- 
cury is intended to cure. 

Salivation is inflammation of the salivary glands, and very 
often results in sloughing of the membranes of the mouth and 
throat ; or inflammation may travel into the windpipe, and the 
patient die of suffocation from inflammation of the top of the 
windpipe ; or it more frequently results in a fatal sloughing of 
the cheeks, gums and palate, producing the most frightful de- 



69 

formity, if the patient survives, which, however, is seldom the 
case. After a person has once experienced salivation, he will 
seldom have much enjoyment afterwards with the throat, gums 
and teeth ; for on the slightest exposure to cold, these parts will 
take on more or less inflammatory action, and the patient ex- 
perience all the pain and inconvenience of a sore throat, with 
an unpleasant metallic taste in his mouth ; and the most careful 
and experienced physician cannot tell when he prescribes mer- 
cury, whether or not these adverse results will follow, and no fore- 
cast or after precaution, will prevent it in a vast number of cases ; 
but there is another condition that results from the use of mer- 
cury, which, though out of sight, is still more fatal than these that 
we have referred to : it is a poisoned condition of the glands of 
the stomach and bowels, called by some. Mercurial Erythema. 
In this disease the tongue is red, moist and glossy. After a 
few days the edges will be dotted with small vesicular pustules, 
or an imperfect apthous eruption. The bowels are generally 
quite healthy. The patient will take some food, and generally 
appears to digest it tolerably well. There is a quick and some- 
what frequent pulse, and a very slight chill and some fever in 
the evening or at night ; there is little or no disturbance of the 
brain or lungs, and a remarkable exemption from pain ; but 
the patient cannot be nourished, and is gradually, but certainly, 
sinking, and after a while the bowels will give way, and he will 
sink, under a moderate Diarrhoea, to the grave ! 

The above aflfection is entirely different from the exhausting 
Diarrhoea that results from the use of mercury in fevers, espec- 
ially Typhoid Fever, which consists in copious, serous discharg- 
es, occasioned by the irritation of mercurials on the mucous 
surfaces of the stomach and bowels. 

We used mercury for the first ten years of our practice, and 



70 

gave it the closest observation as to its benefits, and the injury 
that it sometimes inflicts ; and we are certain that we give an 
impartial verdict, when we say that all physicians would succeed 
better, and review their arduous professional lives with more 
satisfaction, if they would entirely lay it aside. It will some- 
times operate well, and then again it gives a death blow to the 
patient ; and we are certain that all its benefits can be derived 
from the operation of other articles, from which there can be 
no risk of injury incurred. The febrifuge recommended in this 
work, will restore salivary, biliary, gastric and all other secre- 
tions, in less time and more effectually than mercury, without 
incurring any of its pernicious effects on constitutional health. 

The diet of a sick patient is of the first importance. It is a 
common practice to give a patient, in acute diseases, little or 
nothing to eat, and very often worse than nothing, for a little 
mucilage of Iceland moss, or tapioca, or arrow root, toast water, 
barley water or gruel, are supposed to be light articles of diet, 
and eminently adapted to an enfeebled stomach. So of cracker 
and tea, or coffee, weak chicken or beef tea, panada, etc. But 
though these articles are weak in nutriment, it is still a ques- 
tion as to their digestibility ; and on a close investigation it will 
be found that in general these substances are very difficult for 
an enfeebled stomach to digest, from the fact of their diluting 
the gastric fluid ; and in general they enter into fermentation, 
and oppress the feeble stomach of the patient with extricating 
gas, and producing acidity of the stomach. 

We believe the best rule of diet in disease is, to give the 
stomach a moderate supply of any wholesome diet that it will 
receive ; and for years our prescription in dietetics has been 
what the patient wants, or good well cured broiled ham, or 
broiled beef steak — broiled just so as to be cooked through — 



71 

hot mealy potatoes boiled, baked or roasted, with good sweet 
butter, moderately rich milk-toast, made of good stale bread, 
well boiled rice and rich milk, good Indian mush and rich milk, 
etc. But of all the articles that we ever tried in feeble diges- 
tion, either in the debility of acute or chronic disease, a good 
article of well cured, smoked, broiled ham is the most easily 
digested ; and we have known the stomach to reject all articles 
of the lighter kinds of diet for a length of time — digest broiled 
ham with perfect ease and satisfaction. So of broiled steak, 
though it is not generally relished as well as broiled ham. A 
good sweet article of Indian meal made into well cooked mush, 
with rich milk, is an excellent diet for patients, especially in 
cases of Typhoid Fever. 

Persons in disease require to be nourished, and the physician 
who does not attend to this duty, will lose many patients from 
sheer exhaustion. A gentleman summond us to see his daugh- 
ter who was sick with the Dysentery ; we had seen the patient 
fifteen hours before, and ordered mush and milk for diet. The 
patient was rapidly sinking. We had some mush and milk 
prepared and gave the patient half a pint of it, and the patient 
improved at once. 

The native physicians in the interior of India give their pa- 
tients large quantities of boiled rice. In one account, a British 
officer stated that his native physician ordered that he should 
take three pints of boiled rice at a dose ; and though the officer 
had an attack of the pernicious fever incident to that climate, 
he stated that he only had a second paroxysm, after which he 
took three pints more of tenderly boiled rice, and with a little 
medicine he was entirely recovered. ' 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS g| 

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiEiiiiiiiiiiiir 

021 067 350 7 



/"•J 










^1^ 



v>*^ 



:SJ»..^ 



imsm^ 



riEL 






-fSi-,*. 



Jli^^:-^ 






^li^-:*;! 



-*^u- 



'^>:j^m 



